Koninklijke Nederlandsche Zeil- en Roeivereniging te Amsterdam 1847

This bronze medal was crafted by David van der Kellen, likely in the mid-19th century. Its relatively small size belies the powerful forces it represents. On one side, Neptune, god of the sea, lounges with his trident before a sailing vessel. The other features an anchor entwined with a snake beneath a crown, encircled by the name of the Royal Dutch Sailing and Rowing Club of Amsterdam. The making of this medal involved skilled die-cutting and stamping, processes reliant on industrialization. Bronze, an alloy of copper and tin, has been used for millennia, yet here it speaks to the 19th-century’s fascination with maritime power and global trade. The medal commemorates a Dutch organization devoted to sailing, a pursuit that has roots in both labor and leisure. Consider how this object embodies the complex relationship between human skill, machine production, and a romanticized vision of the sea. By appreciating its materiality and the processes behind it, we can see beyond the medal’s face value and understand its deeper social significance.