Historical medallion|Commemorative medal

Medals with images of Pomeranian dukes, called Gnadenpfennige or Gnadenmedaillen, appeared in the 1640s. The dukes of Pomerania, following in the footsteps of numerous rulers of the Reich, introduced the custom of presenting medals to deserving subjects. Apart from the rulers' effigies, most of them have a large nine- or ten-pointed coat of arms of West Pomerania with all royal titles. Ornamental frames and ears for hanging the jewels on chains assumed the function of a representative ornament. Some Gnadenpfennige were magnificent, and together with a gold chain, they weighed even up to 3,5 kg. As a rule, dukes ordered such works in centres where renowned medal-making masters worked in Berlin, Augsburg or Nuremberg. The princely couple, Ernest Ludwig and Sophie Jadwiga, are portrayed decoratively in the spirit of Mannerism on the gilded medallion. The presence of the earring indicates that it served as an ornament of the attire. The similarity of Ernest Ludwig on coins and medals may prove that the artists used the same graphic sources. The coat of arms depicts wild men in helmets topped with stylised vegetation in fanciful poses, which enhances the artistic effect of the composition. A fragment of Psalm 121 (120) reflecting the ruler's religiousness and his devotion to the Lutheran faith appears in the legend of the reverse, as in thicker coins of the Duke. The medallion is unsigned, but based on stylistic analyses, its authorship is attributed to the Berlin goldsmith and medallist Heinrich Rapusch, the Elder.

Genowefa Horoszko