Nomos 23

THE DUTCH REPUBLIC. Uncertain city. Circa 1660s. Marriage Medal (Silver, 46 mm, 23.78 g, 12 h). On the left, young man in formal dress standing right with a tree behind him, clasping with his right hand the right hand of a young woman, in formal dress on the right, standing to left with a tree behind her; between them, in the lower field, houses; in the upper field, the Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove, within rays, with two winged putti flying above, blowing horns; sitting below the tree behind the woman, a naked boy sits to left, apparently smoking a flaming pipe (?). Rev. Godt door syn Wetheest in Gelet het Soeteparen op Canans feest is hij Geweest int Eechts Vergaaren = (God by his law has started off the sweet couple, at Canan's feast he has been among the first guests) Scene of the marriage at Cana, where Christ turned water to wine. At the left of the table, Christ sits facing with, on his left, the Virgin Mary, veiled, and a young couple; on the right of the table, sits an elderly couple, one wearing a pointed hat and the other a crown-like one, similar to those Jews were forced to wear in medieval times; before them a servant boy stands left, pouring wine into a serving pitcher. Very rare. An endearingly attractive marriage medal, engraved in a slightly naive, but appealing, provincial style. Lightly toned and curiously pleasing. About extremely fine.

The style of this piece makes it unintentionally humorous, albeit in a good way! The naked little fellow on the obverse, who is apparently smoking a pipe is quite dignified, while the participants at Cana, on the reverse, all have a vaguely glassy-eyed look, as if the water Christ turned to wine came out as vintage Port!