Vrede van Amiens

About this artwork

Schenking van mevrouw J.M. van Gelder-Nijhoff

Art Historical Context

This striking medal, titled *Vrede van Amiens*, was created in 1802 by French medallist Romain Vincent Jeuffroy to mark the short-lived Peace Amiens. Signed between Britain and France (along with their allies), the treaty briefly halted the Napoleonic Wars and symbolized a fragile moment of European reconciliation. Jeuffroy, active during the late Revolutionary and early Napoleonic periods, specialized in commemorative medals that captured political turning points with neoclassical precision. Measuring 6.8 cm in diameter and weighing nearly 89 grams, the piece exemplifies the art of struck metalwork, a technique that allowed for sharp detail and durability. Such medals served both as official records and portable keepsakes, blending sculpture with diplomacy. The work entered the collection through the generous donation of Mrs. J.M. van Gelder-Nijhoff, preserving this tangible reminder of early 19th-century hopes for peace. Jeuffroy’s refined engraving style reflects the era’s emphasis on clarity and symbolism, inviting viewers to consider how art documented—and sometimes idealized—momentous historical events.