Vijfde verjaardag van prinses Carolina

About this artwork

Zilveren penning. Voorzijde: borststuk man en vrouw met diadeem binnen omschrift. Keerzijde: borststuk jong meisje boven jaartal binnen krans van oranjetak en rozetak, met lint gebonden aan pijlenbundel boven opschrift in een lijst binnen omschrift

Art Historical Context

Celebrate a royal milestone with *Vijfde verjaardag van prins Carolina* (Fifth Birthday of Princess Carolina), a silver medal crafted in 1748 by Dutch engraver Martinus Holhey. Measuring just .1 cm in diameter and weighing a substantial 278 grams, this struck medal exemplifies 18th-century metalworking. Holtzhey, renowned for his intricate portrait medals, captures the opulence of the Dutch House of Orange-Nass during a time of political resurgence under William IV. The obverse features busts of a man and woman adorned with diadems—likely the princess's royal parents—framed by an inscription, evoking regal authority and lineage. Flipping to the reverse reveals the young Carolina's bust poised above the year 1748, encircled by a wreath of orange and rose branches symbolizing prosperity and fidelity. These are bound with a ribbon to a bundle of arrows, a potent emblem of unity and strength, beneath an inscribed panel—all within an outer legend. This layered symbolism underscores the cultural importance of commemorative medals in Dutch society, blending portraiture with heraldry to immortalize family and national pride. Struck using precision dies on silver blanks, the medal's fine relief highlights Holtzhey's mastery of the Rococo-influenced Baroque style, making it a treasured artifact of Enlightenment-era princely commemoration.