Martinus Holtzhey

Martinus Holtzhey was an artist specializing in metalwork, active in the Netherlands during the mid-eighteenth century. His documented period of output spans the years 1734 to 1748. Holtzhey’s extant body of work consists primarily of commemorative medals and related relief objects, created to document and celebrate contemporary civic, military, and governmental occasions.

Holtzhey’s practice centered on capturing specific historical events of the era. Eight of his documented metalworks are preserved in institutional collections, most notably at the Rijksmuseum. The precision and detail inherent in these historical objects define their significance, rendering them highly valued for museum-quality cataloging and research.

Notable pieces represented in the collection include works marking significant social events in The Hague and Delft. These include the metalwork titled Honderdste planting van de Meiboom te 's Gravenhage, as well as the related piece Op het planten van Meibomen door de schutterij van 's Gravenhage. Other commissions documented major political movements, such as the Vertrek van Gouverneur-generaal Baron von Imhoff naar Nederlands Indë 1742. His work also includes the piece Eeuwfeest der Ridderlijke Confrerie van de Handbussche te Delft. Historical images derived from Martinus Holtzhey prints and his medal designs are increasingly accessible, often falling into the public domain due to their age.