Philipp Melanchton 1543

This small silver medal depicting Philipp Melanchton was created in the mid-16th century by Friedrich Hagenauer. It’s a great example of die-striking, a process where a design is engraved into a metal die, which is then used to stamp the image onto a blank medal. The striking process captures Melanchton's likeness with impressive detail for such a small object. The material, silver, adds to its value, both intrinsically and as a marker of status. The production of medals like these was a highly skilled craft, requiring not only artistic talent, but also metallurgical expertise and mechanical precision. In this period, the production of such portrait medals wasn't just about commemorating individuals. It was very much tied to the rise of humanism and the desire to preserve the legacy of important figures, which ties into the broader social context of the Reformation. Considering the material and the making of this medal, we can appreciate how craft practices are deeply embedded in broader cultural and intellectual movements. This challenges any rigid divide between art, craft, and social history.