Orde van de Nederlandse Leeuw, commandeur 1838 - 1854

Curator: What a fascinating piece of history we have here, the Orde van de Nederlandse Leeuw, commandeur, crafted between 1838 and 1854 by Petit en van Tongeren. A truly stunning example of decorative art. Editor: It's dazzling, isn't it? Something about the cool precision mixed with that ornate crown makes me feel like I’ve stumbled into a very proper fairy tale. All those crisp, white angles and curls of gold. Curator: Precisely. We are looking at a mixed-media sculpture using metalworking techniques, a testament to the craftsmanship of the period and its embrace of neoclassicism. One can almost feel the labor and precision required to produce these refined details. Editor: Definitely a sense of meticulous hand work here, yes. The weight, literally and figuratively, of authority. It’s interesting to think about how this object functioned – was it displayed, worn, handled with great ceremony? Who was holding it as it was being made? The inscription “Virtus Nobilitat” elevates its symbolism even more, I imagine? Curator: Indeed. Its social function is integral. These awards became tools of social engineering and status reinforcement during the early modern era. And in reference to production, one must recognize the division of labor present, where several workshops and makers, not a sole “artist” contribute to a product. Editor: Yes, “Virtue Ennobles,” rather grand, I find myself wondering about the person who received this specific piece. And considering those collaborative hands... What stories it holds, if it could only speak! It seems a lot to hang on someone's chest, if that's where it went. Curator: These aren’t just ornamental objects, or baubles. They represent the formalization of class distinctions during the transformation to modern capitalism. What some considered as reward was certainly someone's labor, in many instances uncredited and obscured behind the commissioned atelier. Editor: A visual manifestation of power, isn't it? So much meaning packed into that relatively small, shining thing. Reflecting on how something that could easily be seen as 'merely' decorative actually encodes complex layers of social value is incredibly compelling. Curator: Yes, an artifact like this demonstrates that aesthetics are almost always tethered to socio-economic forces and labor, regardless of how refined they seem at first glance. Editor: Well, I certainly won’t look at fancy decorations the same way again. Thanks for shining a light on that, curator.