Peace and Love
Medals were produced to commemorate peace and love (or the celebration of unions) at various levels of society. Derived stylistically from medieval coinage and with inscriptions in Gothic letters praising the Christian king, the Charles VII medal (no. 94) acclaims the establishment of peace in France after the expulsion of the English in 1453 and the end of the Hundred Years’ War (1337–1453). Charles is depicted on horseback and covered, along with his horse, with fleurs-de-lis. The struck medal by Lutma the Younger (no. 89) commemorates the Peace of Breda, which brought an end to the Second Anglo-Dutch War (1665–67); the symbolic Dutch lion stands upon implements of war in impressively high relief.
Three of the medals in the exhibition celebrate the marriage of monarchs (no. 61), the silver wedding anniversary of a couple whose names and messages are inscribed on the back of the medal (no. 82), and the union of an unknown couple (no. 85); the latter is the kind of “stock” medal that would have been distributed at the celebration of an engagement or marriage.
Johann Blum (ca. 1599–after 1668; act. in Bremen)
William II of Orange-Nassau (b. 1626; Stadtholder of the United Provinces of the Netherlands 1647–50) and Mary Henrietta Stuart, Princess Royal (1631–1660), 1641
Silver, struck
Diam.: 2 7/8 in. (7.28 cm)
Scher Collection
Cat. 61
After Wouter Muller (1604–1673), probably by Cornelis Coutrier (before 1730–1749)
Silver Wedding of Johannis de Waal and Gerbreghie Valkes (dates unknown), dated 1718
Silver, two cast shells soldered together
Diam.: 2 11/16 in. (6.9 cm)
Scher Collection
Cat. 82
Attributed to Pieter van Abeele (1608–1684)
Marriage and Prosperity, ca. 1655
Silver, two cast shells soldered together
Diam.: 3 in. (7.65 cm)
Scher Collection
Cat. 85
Jan (Johannes) Lutma the Younger (1624–1685)
The Peace of Breda, dated 1667
Silver, struck
Diam.: 2 3/4 in. (7.06 cm)
Scher Collection; Promised gift to The Frick Collection
Cat. 89
Unknown artist
Charles VII, King of France (b. 1403; r. 1422–61), dated 1455
Silver, struck
Diam.: 2 7/16 in. (6.2 cm)
Scher Collection
Cat. 94