Collegium Medicum te Amsterdam, toegangspenning voor de hortus medicus voor apothekersleerlingen 1684

This is an admission coin to the Amsterdam Hortus Medicus for pharmacy students, made in 1684. The bouquet of flowers is the dominant image; vessels holding flowers have a long history in art, often associated with funerary rites. The vase suggests the body as a vessel. From the most ancient depictions, we have seen this symbol recur, representing the body as a fleeting vessel for life, or as a symbol of vanity. Think of the Dutch still life paintings, memento mori, to remind us of our mortality. The tradition continues on today, with fresh flowers left on graves. The image of the bouquet engages us on a subconscious level. We cannot escape the cyclical nature of life and death, and our emotional connection to images reminds us of this inescapable truth. The image evokes an intense emotional state, reminding us that even in life, we are already moving toward death.