Vroedschapspenning van de stad 's-Hertogenbosch 1704

This silver vroedschapspenning, or council medal, was designed by Theodorus Casparus van Berckel. Note the circular form and the striking symmetry in its design. On one side, we see a coat of arms flanked by figures, all meticulously detailed within the coin's circumference. The Latin inscription, "Vincat Amor Silvae," curves around the upper edge. Turn it over, and the other side presents an orderly, miniaturized facade of a building, perhaps the town hall, framed by the inscription, "Praesentes Curia Poscit." What is created through the use of symmetry? Is it the social harmony and balance of power within the 's-Hertogenbosch council? The use of Latin also connects this small object to an established visual language to convey the authority and enduring legacy of the city.