Tweehonderdjarig bestaan van het Athenaeum te Amsterdam 1832 1832

This bronze medal was designed by David van der Kellen to commemorate the bicentennial of the Athenaeum in Amsterdam. Immediately, we notice the medal is bisected by two distinct sides each conveying its own symbolic significance. One side features a seated woman with a chair. To her left is a bust on a plinth, topped by a standing woman, perhaps an allegory of wisdom or the arts. The inscription 'MARC NON DIMITIAM' encircles the top, suggesting themes of perseverance and dedication. The figures are rendered in a neoclassical style, which speaks to the values of reason and order. On the reverse side, an inscription fills the field in Latin: 'ILLUSTRIS ATHENAEI AMSTELODAMENSIS SECULARIA ALTERA NOTA TERTI,' marking the celebratory occasion. The typography is arranged with careful symmetry to evoke the classical ideals of balance and harmony. Here, the formal qualities of the medal’s design operate not just as aesthetic choices but as cultural and philosophical markers that underscore the enduring legacy and intellectual continuity of the Athenaeum.