FLOOR.] 
king's LIBRARY. 
67 
piece struck " at London " in commemoration of the conquest 
of England. This medal was never issued, and is not known 
to be extant : an electrotype is therefore exhibited. 
In Germany medals were first made by the goldsmiths of 
Nuremburg and Augsburg in the sixteenth century. The 
work of Albert Durer is the highest point of their achieve- 
ment, although the earliest medals are not far inferior to 
the other productions of contemporary art. Lucas Cranach 
may be placed next in merit. The later works as in Italy are 
of lower value, in relation to contemporary art. They are all, 
however, vigorously characteristic. The portraits of Albert 
Diirer, Luther, Erasmus, Charles V., Maximilian, and Mary 
of Burgundy, are specially to be noted. 
The Dutch medals of the sixteenth century are of great 
historical interest, and although not the finest of their time, 
have some of the qualities which distinguish the contem- 
porary schools of painting, correctness and attention to de- 
tail, and, in a less degree, force and picturesqueness. In the 
seventeenth century, their art is very poor and devoted to 
elaborate allegory, which throughout is essentially political, 
and thus owes its interest to history. The portraits of 
William the Silent, Prince Maurice, John of Oldenbarnevelt, 
and the two De Witts, Van Tromp and De Ruyter, are of 
special importance. Under William III. the Dutch and 
English series meet, and the most important specimens will be 
observed in the latter. 
The exhibition of foreign medals is closed by a comparative 
view of contemporary medallic art. Special interest attaches 
to the medal by H.RH. the Princess Louise of the Grand 
Duke of Hesse and the late Princess Alice. 
The medals of England are rarely by English artists*. 
Some of the best are by Italians, Trezzo, Primavera, and 
others, and by a Dutchman, Stephen of Holland. Thus the 
only name of real merit is that of the Simons, two Englishmen 
of Guernsey, who engraved for Cromwell. If, however, the 
medals are not a measure of English artistic skill, they have an 
historical value, as bearing the portraits of the chief personages, 
and recording the great events, of the last three hundred and 
fifty years. The series is carried down to the En t tie of 
F '2 
