Overlijden van Petrus Curtenius, hoogleraar en predikant te Amsterdam 1766 1766

Carel Frederik Konsé created this silver medal in 1766 to commemorate the death of Petrus Curtenius. Note the circular form, divided into two distinct yet interconnected pictorial fields. The formal composition on the left features a high-relief bust of Curtenius in profile, framed by an inscription. Its stark realism, enhanced by the cold, metallic sheen, contrasts sharply with the allegorical scene on the right, where a kneeling figure mourns before a burning altar. Konsé masterfully employs the interplay of light and shadow to accentuate the emotional weight of the scene. The medal's design invites reflection on the interplay between representation and symbolism. Curtenius, immortalized as a concrete individual, faces an allegorical staging of grief and spiritual devotion. This tension challenges the viewer to reconcile the tangible and the abstract dimensions of memory and legacy, prompting contemplation of the ways in which individuals are remembered and the values they embody.