Penning tegen Jozef II, 1788 1787 - 1790

This 1788 print, "Penning tegen Jozef II," made by an anonymous artist, presents two circular medallions arranged vertically on a white ground. The visual composition immediately suggests a comparative structure, inviting us to examine the medallions in relation to one another. In the upper medallion, a crowned head is depicted in profile, facing left. This image is stark and austere. The lower medallion features a figure kneeling, wielding a hammer over a balance scale. To the left are tools and broken chains, while to the right lies a discarded mask. The artist employs a semiotic system, using visual symbols to critique Joseph II. The broken chains and discarded mask symbolize liberation from oppression, while the figure with the hammer suggests justice and retribution. The balance scale introduces a sense of moral reckoning, weighing the emperor's actions. The formal arrangement of these symbols creates a powerful statement against authoritarian rule. The print doesn't offer fixed meanings but rather invites ongoing interpretation about power, justice, and resistance.