Oeconomische Tak van de Hollandsche Maatschappij der Wetenschappen, penning toegekend aan Jan Timmerman uit Haastrecht 1782

This silver medal was designed by Johan George Holtzhey for the Oeconomische Tak, the economic branch of the Dutch Society of Sciences. These were awarded to individuals for significant contributions to the field. At first glance, this medal appears as a celebration of enlightenment ideals, but consider what and whom it leaves out. The figures represent labor and virtue, an industrious man wearing a helmet and a laurel-crowned woman who is offered a branch. It serves as a symbol of recognition during the 18th-century Dutch Republic. Yet, its imagery promotes a gendered and classed narrative. The medal idealizes labor but obscures the realities of labor exploitation in this era. The absence of the working class, the erasure of women's labor, and the glorification of male achievement—all reinforce existing power structures. The medal is a reminder of how art can reflect and shape societal values and power dynamics.