Overwinning van de Fransen bij Kassel 1699 - 1703

Curator: This exquisite bronze relief sculpture, conceived between 1699 and 1703, is entitled "Overwinning van de Fransen bij Kassel," or "Victory of the French at Kassel." Jean Mauger is the artist who gave shape to this historical narrative. Editor: The patina is quite fetching, wouldn’t you say? At first glance, the disc feels a bit like finding pirate treasure... tarnished metal singing stories of glory! It makes you wonder about the human hand that once clutched it tightly. Curator: Absolutely, the objectness evokes a sense of intimacy across time. It's vital to situate Mauger’s artwork within the political landscape of Louis XIV’s France. Medals like this one were often commissioned to commemorate significant events and disseminate propaganda. The representation of military victories served to consolidate power and project an image of French supremacy. Editor: Power, you say? On one side, we have Louis himself, luxuriant wig flowing in the wind, classic Roman profile, rendered, well, perfectly self-assured. And on the other, some sort of allegorical figure standing over a kneeling chap. Curator: Indeed, the other side depicts the allegorical figure of Victory bestowing honor upon Louis XIV, while a defeated enemy kneels before them, symbolising the subjugation of Kassel after the battle of 1677. This representation normalizes hierarchies and justifies the expansionist agenda of the French monarchy. I wonder if anyone truly pondered the violence inherent in that era, or if they accepted it. Editor: It’s fascinating, isn’t it, how these artifacts manage to freeze-frame a worldview. This medal practically shouts: Might makes right! Makes you think about the narratives we choose to immortalize today and whose stories are ignored in the process. Curator: Exactly, and in its visual vocabulary— the triumphal classicism, the subservient posture of the vanquished, it echoes not just its own moment but continues to reverberate across centuries. Thinking about artmaking as both intentional and reflective provides meaningful nuance when discussing a complicated past. Editor: Yes! As makers and thinkers, as artists and people interacting with art, we need to recognize that art also creates a record of values— and understanding how to translate or re-read these records, with curiosity and courage is extremely important. It opens dialogues that were never possible back then. Curator: Ultimately, Mauger's medal, while a testament to French military success, reminds us of the multifaceted nature of historical objects and the importance of questioning their embedded ideologies. Editor: It is more than just a shiny treasure, really. It reflects how far we’ve hopefully come... and how far we’ve still to go.