Vijftigjarig bestaan van de Stoomvaart Maatschappij Nederland 1920 1920

This medal was made by Johannes Cornelis Wienecke to commemorate fifty years of the Steamship Company in the Netherlands. I love the challenge Wienecke faced when trying to capture the drama of the ocean voyage on such a tiny scale. The medal has this pale gold color that makes me think about treasure and journeys to far-off places. The medal depicts a ship confidently cutting through the waves and you can almost feel the movement of the water and hear the distant sounds of the ship's horn. I can imagine Wienecke in his studio, carefully crafting each line and curve, trying to capture the feeling of adventure and the spirit of exploration. I think of other artists like Turner who also tried to capture the awe and wonder of the sea in their art. Artists are always in conversation with each other, aren’t they? Taking inspiration and pushing the boundaries of what's possible, inspiring each other across time.