Tweehonderdste verjaardag van het ontzet van Leiden
Medium
striking (metalworking)
Dimensions
2.7; 6.31
About this artwork
Schenking van mevrouw J.M. van Gelder-Nijhoff
Art Historical Context
Celebrate a pivotal moment in Dutch history with *Tweehonderdstejaardag van hetzet van Leiden* (Two Hundredth Anniversary of Relief of Leiden), a struck medal crafted by Theodorus Victor van Berckel in 1774. This small treasure, measuring just 2.7 cm in diameter and weighing 631 grams, commemorates the 200th anniversary of the1574 Relief of Leiden—a triumphant event during the Eighty Years' War when Dutch forces broke the Spanish siege, lifting starvation and despair from the city. Such medals were popular in the 18th century as wearable symbols of national pride, blending patriotism with pers...