Inname van Woerden door de Fransen 1672 1672

Jean Mauger created this bronze medal, "Inname van Woerden door de Fransen 1672," to commemorate a specific historical event during a tumultuous period. The year 1672 is known in Dutch history as the "Rampjaar," the year of disaster, when the Dutch Republic was invaded by France, England, and several German states. The medal presents two sides of a fraught narrative: the glorification of Louis XIV on one side, with an inscription celebrating him as a Christian king; and on the other, a symbolic representation of the French capture of Woerden. The imagery of the vase and mourning figure, with an inscription that translates to “Woerden Captured and Destroyed," evokes a sense of loss and defeat. These medals served as tools of propaganda and national identity. Reflect on how this object captures not just a moment in time, but the complex interplay of power, identity, and memory. Consider the emotional weight carried by such objects, as they navigate between celebration and lamentation, shaping collective understanding.