Onthoofding van Karel I van Engeland

About this artwork

diameter 4.6 cm x weight 34.76 gr

Art Historical Context

Behold the poignant medal *Onthoofding van I van Engeland*Beheading of Charles I of England), crafted 1649 by the Monogrammist F, a skilled medailleur. Measuring just 4.6 cm in diameter and weighing 34.76 grams, this struck metalwork exemplifies the intricate artistry of 17th-centuryative medals. Produced through the precise technique of striking—hammering a die into softened metal under immense pressure—it captures a dramatic historical moment with fine detail and sharp relief. Dated to the very year of King Charles I's execution on January 30, 1649, following the English Civil War, the medal immortalizes one of history's most shocking regicides. Charles's beheading outside the Banqueting House in Whitehall symbolized the triumph of Parliament over absolute monarchy, ushering in England's brief republican Commonwealth under Oliver Cromwell. Such medals were avidly collected by contemporaries as portable emblems of political upheaval, blending artistry with propaganda. As a modest yet masterful artifact, it highlights the cultural role of medals in disseminating news and opinion during an era of turmoil. Monogrammist F's anonymous signature underscores the collaborative world of medal workshops, where craftsmanship served both royalists lamenting the king's fate and republicans celebrating it—inviting us to ponder the divided loyalties of the time.