Verzet van Holland om Willem III te benoemen tot stadhouder
Medium
striking (metalworking)
Dimensions
49.73; 4.9
About this artwork
Schenking van mevrouw J.M. van Gelder-Nijhoff
Art Historical Context
In the turbulent year of 1672, known as the Dutch *Rampjaar* or "Disaster Year," the Republic faced invasion by France, England, and other powers. This finely struck medal by Jan Smeltzing (I), a skilled 17th-century Dutch medal, captures a pivotal moment: the "Verzet van Holland om Willem te benoemen tothouder" (Resistance of Holland to Appointing William III as Stadolder). Measuring just 4.9 cm in diameter and weighing 49.73 grams, this small bronze artwork served as a powerful emblem of political division. Holland's provinces had abolished the stadtholdership a generation earlier to curb Or...