Nederlaag van Lodewijk XIV, koning van Frankrijk in de slag bij Malplaquet
Medium
striking (metalworking)
Dimensions
2.1; 2.7; 6.46
About this artwork
Gift of J.M. van Gelder-Nijhoff
Art Historical Context
Behold this diminutive yet powerful medal, *Nederlaag van Lode XIV, koning van Frankrijk de slag bij Malpla* (Defeat of Louis, King of France at the Battle of Malpla), struck by German engraver Christian Wermuth in 1709. At just 2.7 cm in diameter, this finely crafted piece exemplifies the precision of contemporary metalworking techniques, where intricate battle scenes were hammered or pressed into metal to create portable commemorations. The artwork immortalizes the pivotal Battle of Malplaquet (September 11, 1709), a grueling clash in the War of the Spanish Succession. Allied forces under t...
About the Artist
Christian Wermuth · 1661–1739
Christian Wermuth (1661–1739) was a prolific and highly influential German medallist, coin engraver, bookseller, and publisher whose work epitomized the Baroque tradition of medallic art in the German territories. Born on December 16, 1661, in Altenburg and dying on December 3, 1739, in Gotha, Wermuth's career spanned nearly eight decades of intense artistic production, pedagogical influence, and ...