Vrede van Rijswijk

About this artwork

diameter 3.8 cm x weight 28.82 gr

Art Historical Context

### Vrede van Rijswijk Medal Crafted in 1697 by Dutch artist Jan Boskam, *Vrede van Rijsw* is a finely struck metal medallion commemorating the pivotal Treaty of Ryswick This historic peace agreement, signed that same year in the Dutch town of Rijswijknow Rysswijk), ended the Nine' War—a grueling conflict pitting King Louis XIV's France against the Grand Alliance of England, the Dutch Republic, and the Holy Roman Empire. Medals like this one served as portable symbols of diplomacy, celebrating fragile truces amid Europe's turbulent power struggles. The piece exemplifies 17th-century metalworking through the "striking" technique, where a die is hammered into a metal blank under immense pressure to create intricate, raised designs. Measuring just 3.8 cm in diameter and weighing 28.82 grams, its compact form made it ideal for wearing as a pendant or carrying as a token of national pride. Boskam's craftsmanship highlights the era's mastery of relief sculpture in miniature, blending artistry with propaganda to immortalize a moment of respite in an age of endless warfare. Today, this modest yet meaningful artifact offers a tangible glimpse into the Baroque period's blend of politics and aesthetics, reminding us how small objects could encapsulate grand historical shifts.