Deelnemerspenning van de Negende Olympiade te Amsterdam 1928 1928

This bronze participant's medal for the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics, made by Johannes Wienecke, has a fascinating, solid feel in your hand; you know, that satisfying weight that only bronze has. I can only imagine Wienecke at his workbench, meticulously carving the dies for this medal. The pressure! Capturing the spirit of the games, the human form, the… everything. It's all so crisp. Look at the figures—the male and female nudes holding hands and a torch, the scales of justice, the rays of light—they all project, don't they? It’s a whole world of symbols compressed into this little disc. Think about the art historical context, too. Wienecke would have been keenly aware of classical sculpture, early coins, and the whole tradition of medals, but also modernism, cubism, and abstraction. He synthesizes these influences, echoing traditions while simultaneously participating in the modern world. It’s a reminder that every artist is in conversation, reaching back and pushing forward, working in the studio of their mind.