Wouter Muller - Medal on the Death of Admiral Maarten Harpertszoon Tromp

Wouter Muller
The Netherlands
Baroque, middle of the 17th Century, dated '1653'

Medal on the Death of Admiral Maarten Harpertszoon Tromp (1598-1653)

Silver, consisting of two chased ‘plaquette’ plates, soldered together
Diameter 75 mm.

Obverse: Bust of Admiral Tromp, possibly after a portrait by Jan Lievens, three quarters facing, wearing the Order of St. Michael, in very high relief. Surrounded by a laurel wreath, various military emblems and trophies, underneath a crown supported by two Putti with trumpets. Lower middle a banner, flanked by two cannons, inscribed: ‘myn hert en handt was voor het Landt’ (my heart and hand were for the Fatherland).

Reverse: A naval scene with two men-or-war ships at close range, one Dutch the other English, and a ship sinking in the foreground. Within a pearled border inscribed: ‘Waarom doet muller Tromp door kunst van gout en silver leeven: om dat hy’d yser eew door krygsdeugd heeft verdreven. obyt den 10 aug: 1653’ (Why does the art of muller make Tromp live in gold and silver: because his valor has removed from us the age of iron. died on 10 August 1653).

PROVENANCE
Private collection, United Kingdom

REFERENCE LITERATURE
Frederiks, J.W. (1943 ). De meesters der plaquette-penningen. The Hague, p. 41, ill. 125, 127, cat.nr. 1, 1;
Loon, G. van (1726). Beschryving der Nederlandsche Historipenningen. The Hague: Chr. van Lom, Vol. II, p. 376