To Commemorate the Opening of the New London Bridge, by King William IV and Queen Adelaide, August 1, 1831 1831

This bronze medal, crafted by Benjamin Wyon, commemorates the opening of the New London Bridge in 1831. We see King William IV in profile, a visual language harkening back to Roman imperial portraiture. The profile, a convention revived during the Renaissance, speaks of power and authority, distancing the ruler into an idealized figure. Think of Roman coins bearing Caesar’s profile, embodying might and stability. This isn’t merely a likeness; it's an invocation of enduring power. Consider how rulers through history have used this image - the resolute profile - to project an aura of timeless command, adapting and reinventing its significance to suit their own epochs. Even today, the profile remains a potent symbol, evoking a sense of leadership deeply embedded in our collective memory, a subconscious recognition of authority. So, we see how symbols resurface, evolving yet retaining echoes of their past, demonstrating the cyclical nature of visual language and its enduring impact on our perception of power.