Vrede van Rijswijk, penning geslagen op last van de stad Gouda 1697

This is a silver medal, commemorating the Peace of Rijswijk, likely made soon after the treaty was signed in 1697. It was commissioned by the city of Gouda, and made by Johannes Drappentier. The medal’s imagery is allegorical. One side depicts Europe, standing triumphant over a defeated lion and snake, symbols of war, while the other features a figure of peace, seated above symbols of earthly power. The fine detail was achieved through a process called striking, where a design is engraved into steel dies, and then pressed onto a metal blank with force. These medals served as both propaganda and portable works of art. The material itself, silver, adds to the medal's message of prosperity and stability, reflecting Gouda’s economic aspirations in a time of peace. The very act of striking these medals, transforming raw metal into commemorative objects, underscores the artistry and craft involved, reminding us of the skilled labor that shaped not only the medal but also the historical narrative it conveys. It invites us to reflect on the intimate relationship between material culture, artistic skill, and the shaping of collective memory.