Beggars’ Medal 1566

Jacques Jonghelinck created this Beggars' Medal. Its circular form contains symbolic imagery pressed into silver, creating a tactile bas-relief. Observe the crisp profile of a nobleman, juxtaposed on the reverse with a beggar's wallet. The fine detail around the collar and hair on the figure draws your eye to the contrast with the rough texture of the bag, and the crude tools depicted. This medal operates as a potent symbol of resistance, where identity is negotiated through binary signs. Note how Jonghelinck subverts the traditional form of a commemorative medal, typically used to honor the elite, by associating it with the marginalized. The medal's function then transcends mere aesthetics, becoming a political statement. It invites us to question established hierarchies, turning notions of value and status on their head.