Verdrag van Teplitz, ter ere van Alexander I, tsaar van Rusland, Frans I, keizer van Oostenrijk en Frederik Willem III, koning van Pruisen

About this artwork

Zilveren penning. Voorzijde: borststukken van drie mannen, waarvan voorste met lauwerkrans binnen omschrift. Keerzijde: gehelmde Minerva met speer en schild binnen omschrift; afsnede: opschrift

Art Historical Context

This silver medal, struck in 1813 by artist Karl Lesser, commemorates the Treaty of Teplitz. The agreement united Tsar Alexander I of Russia, Emperor Francis I of Austria, and King Frederick William III of Prussia in a decisive alliance against Napoleon during the War the Sixth Coalition. Measuring just 4 cm in diameter and weighing 20.81 grams, piece served as a portable token of unity at a pivotal moment in European history. The obverse presents the three monarchs in profile, with the central figure wearing a laurel wreath, evoking classical notions of victory and leadership. On the reverse, the helmeted figure of Minerva—Roman goddess of strategic warfare and wisdom—stands with spear and shield, symbolizing the protective strength and calculated resolve of the coalition. Inscriptions on both sides reinforce the treaty’s significance and the shared commitment of the allied powers. As a struck metalwork, the medal reflects the longstanding tradition of using small-scale art to mark state events and honor rulers. Its classical imagery and precise craftsmanship made it both a collectible keepsake and a subtle instrument of political messaging in the early nineteenth century.