Huwelijkspenning van huwelijk prinses Beatrix en Claus von Amsberg, 1966 1966

This is a silver marriage medal commemorating the wedding of Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands to Claus von Amsberg in 1966, made by an anonymous artist. These commemorative objects are interesting for the way they reflect the complex relationship between a royal family and its public. This medal presents a double portrait in profile, showing the couple in a moment of formal union. But their union was not without controversy, because Claus was German, and memories of the Nazi occupation were still fresh. It is a reminder of the fraught relations between countries and how easily national feeling can turn into prejudice. The design is traditional, evoking a shared cultural history through classicism, but the event was very much of its time. The cultural historian might research popular publications of the time to understand the public mood, and analyse government documents to discover how the royal family functions as a political institution. Studying an object like this reminds us that art and life are always embedded in history.