Penning van de Universiteit van Groningen, met ruimte voor de namen van de hoogleraren en wapen van de universiteit 1706 - 1720

Curator: Here we have an engraving dating from the early 18th century, sometime between 1706 and 1720 to be precise. It's an commemorative medal—"Penning van de Universiteit Groningen, met ruimte voor de namen van de hoogleraren en wapen van de universiteit" is the title— essentially a University of Groningen medal with space for the names of professors and the university coat of arms. Editor: It strikes me immediately as a piece meticulously constructed. The circular format is almost clock-like. The sheer amount of textual information is also very eye-catching! Curator: Yes, the names of the professors and their start dates are inscribed around the perimeter within that circular boundary. The engraving technique itself is quite fine; consider the time and labor involved. It surely would have taken considerable planning, as each one had to be hand-crafted and printed one at a time. Editor: True, the social function is crucial. These kinds of medals likely signified not only academic achievement but were also badges of the institution. Note the placement of the coat of arms and personification of 'virtus' or virtue. It all points toward creating and broadcasting a powerful image of academic legitimacy. Curator: That's right. And considering the socio-political environment of the time, with various competing academic institutions, presenting this image of legitimacy, of history, would have been vitally important to the university's identity. The distribution and the possession of these medals was likely restricted to scholars or other dignitaries who helped to build Groningen’s renown. Editor: Looking again, the lines radiating from the center almost mimic a radiating sun. It's Baroque classicism, rendered as an industrial artifact made for the purpose of celebrating higher learning! It makes you consider who was actually represented by this visual, and how far its effect reached beyond the privileged academic class who benefited. Curator: Exactly, it prompts us to think more deeply about how symbolic power is made visible through labor. Editor: And it reveals how formal visual order reinforces a vision of social order. Thank you, that was very enlightening!