Thomas Cranmer

About this artwork

Gift of J.M. van Gelder-Nijhoff

Art Historical Context

Behold this finely struck medal portraying **Thomas Cranmer**, crafted by the renowned Swiss medallist Jean Dassier in1725. Measuring just 2.8 cm in diameter and weighing 9.99 grams, this petite metalwork exemplifies the precision of 18th-century numismatic art. Dassier, part of a celebrated family of engravers, specialized in portrait medals that captured the likenesses of historical luminaries with remarkable fidelity. Thomas Cranmer (1489–1556), of Canterbury under Henry VIII, played a pivotal role in the English Reformation, advocating for reforms and compiling the Book of Common Prayer. Produced nearly two centuries after his martyrdom, this medal underscores Cranmer's enduring legacy as a symbol of religious conviction and conviction amid persecution—burned at the stake in 1556 under Queen Mary I. The "striking" technique, involving a die hammered or pressed into a metal blank, allowed for intricate details and subtle relief, making such medals both durable collectibles and portable tributes. Generously gifted by J.M. van Gelder-Nijhoff, it invites us to reflect on how small artworks preserve grand histories.