Overlijden van Maria Gysberta Verhoesen, echtgenote van mr. Jeronimo de Vries 1833

Curator: This medal commemorates the death of Maria Gysberta Verhoesen, wife of Jeronimo de Vries, dating back to 1833. What strikes you most about this piece? Editor: It feels intensely personal, almost like a memento. The details are intricate, and it makes me wonder about the lives of those it represents, particularly the process of making commemorative metal works at this time. How did they decide what to include? Curator: Excellent question! It's crucial to consider the labor and material involved. Bronze wasn't merely a material, but a statement. How easily accessible was it? Who was making this piece, and what constraints did the medium of metal present at the time? Editor: I never really considered access to bronze and labor practices when looking at art before! It also brings the relationship between metal, craftsmanship, and artistry. In a time where bronze probably was not as easily obtainable as now, who would've been able to commission this sort of work? Curator: Precisely. Bronze was often associated with wealth and power, with metalwork carrying an economic weight as much as it did artistic merit. Given that, how does understanding the social and economic context shift your perspective on this piece? Editor: I see the medal not just as a memorial, but also a marker of status, reflecting on Dutch society and its economy at the time. How the metal itself could carry an artistic significance to the work. Curator: Exactly. Considering these medals in terms of material and labor invites us to look past sentimental value and confront production that is intrinsically linked with social structure. This in turn reframes conventional understanding of death memorials of this kind. Editor: Thanks, that’s given me a lot to consider about how materials themselves tell a story, even if we are accustomed to interpreting just visual narratives. Curator: Likewise, this helps see beyond traditional narratives to address labor practices of craftsmanship in art history.