Overwinning bij Kesseldorf en vrede van Dresden

About this artwork

Gift of J.M. van Gelder-Nijhoff

Art Historical Context

This exquisite anonymous medal, titled *Overwinning bij Kess en vrede van Dresden (Victory at Kessels and Peace of Dresden), struck in 1745 commemorate a pivotal moment in European history. The Battle of Kesselsdorf fought on December 15, 4, saw Prussian forces under Frederick the Great triumph over the Austrians during the Second Silesian—a key theater of the War of the Succession. Just ten days later, the Peace Dresden formalized Prussia's hold on Silesia, marking a diplomatic victory for the rising Hohenzollern power. At a modest diameter of 3.3 cm and weighing 11.14 grams, this small artifact captures the era's blend of military glory and fragile peace. Crafted through the precision technique of striking—hammering a metal die onto a blank planchet—this medal exemplifies 18th-century numismatic art. Such medals were popular commemorative objects in Europe, serving as portable propaganda and personal talismans. The anonymous artisan likely drew on classical motifs, rendering intricate details on both obverse and reverse to evoke heroism and harmony amid conflict. A generous gift from J.M. van Gelder-Nijhoff to the collection, this piece offers visitors a tangible link to Enlightenment-era geopolitics, reminding us how tiny metal tokens preserved the echoes of battlefield triumphs and treaty halls.

About the Artist

anonymous

In the vast tapestry of art history, "Anonymous" stands not as a singular individual but as a collective designation for countless unidentified creators whose works have endured across millennia. These artists, spanning prehistoric cave painters to medieval illuminators and folk craftsmen, produced the foundational layers of human visual culture. Prior to the Renaissance, when individual fame emer...