Vredesonderhandelingen te Munster 1647

This silver medal by Johannes Looff commemorates the Peace of Münster. Produced in 1648, it encapsulates the complex social and political landscape of the Dutch Republic at the end of the Eighty Years' War with Spain. The medal visualizes the intricate web of power, justice, and liberty that defined the Republic. We see a lion, symbolizing the Dutch Republic, holding a scale, which represents justice. The inscription emphasizes the end of war and the beginning of peace. On the reverse, the coats of arms of the Dutch provinces underscore the Republic's decentralized nature and commitment to regional autonomy. This imagery would have been instantly recognizable to the medal's contemporary viewers, steeped in the visual culture of the time. To truly understand this medal, we need to delve into the archives, exploring the records of the Dutch Republic, the correspondence of its leaders, and the treaties and agreements that shaped its destiny. Only then can we fully appreciate the complex social, political, and institutional contexts that gave rise to this fascinating object.