Zestien penningen met versierde lijsten, waarvan twee blanco 1647 - 1682

Simon de la Boissière made this print, Sixteen Medals with Decorated Borders, sometime in the 17th century. At the time, the Netherlands was a burgeoning mercantile power. The Dutch Golden Age saw developments in trade, science, military and art. This print offers insight into the period's artistic and economic landscape. The images on the medals suggest classical themes that were often embraced by the elites. These classical references resonated with the educated and affluent, eager to align themselves with historical empires. The choice to create prints of medals speaks to the growing interest in numismatics, or the study of currency, a pursuit that intertwined artistic appreciation with economic understanding. The inclusion of blank medals might suggest the possibility of personalization, in a period where the value of bespoke craftsmanship was increasing. To understand this print better, we can research 17th-century Dutch trade practices and how classical imagery functioned within the social structure of the time. This piece reflects the interplay between artistic expression and economic activity in the Dutch Golden Age.