Vrede van Basel

About this artwork

Zilveren penning. Voorzijde: borststuk man binnen omschrift. Keerzijde: gevleugelde vrede overhandigt olijftak en Mercuriusstaf aan jongeman, die op rots onder palmboom zit; achter hem wapenstandaard binnen omschrift; afsnede: opschrift

Art Historical Context

### Vrede van Basel (Peace of Basel) Crafted in 1795 by German engraver Daniel Friedrich Lo, this exquisite silver medal—measuring just 4.3 cm in diameter and weighing 26.9 grams—commemorates the pivotal Peace of Basel treaty. Struck using precise metalworking techniques, it exemplifies the neoclassical medal tradition, where intricate engravings captured historical moments in miniature. The obverse features a bust of a man within encircling inscription, likely honoring a key figure in the negotiations, while the reverse bursts with symbolism: a winged figure of Peace offers an olive branch and Mercury's caduceus (staff of commerce and harmony) to a seated youth beneath a palm tree, evoking renewal and prosperity. Behind him stands a weapon standard, inscribed and suggesting the sheathing of swords. This medal marks the end of hostilities in the War of the First Coalition during the French Revolutionary Wars, as France signed separate peaces with Prussia and Spain in Basel, Switzerland. Such small-scale artworks were prized as portable propaganda and personal talismans, blending artistry with diplomacy. Loos's fine strikings highlight the era's mastery of relief engraving, making complex allegories accessible—peace triumphing over war in gleaming silver. (198 words)

About the Artist

Daniel Friedrich Loos · 1735–1819

Daniel Friedrich Loos (1735–1819) was a German medallist, engraver, and die-cutter who served as chief engraver and medalist for the Kingdom of Prussia during a crucial period of Prussian history. Born on June 15, 1735, in Altenburg and dying on October 1, 1819, in Berlin, Loos pursued an 84-year life that spanned from the reign of Frederick William I through the Napoleonic Wars and into the post-...