In Memory of Karl Nepomuk and Wilhelmine Bachofen von Echt, and Their Family 1893

Anton Scharff created this medal in memory of Karl Nepomuk and Wilhelmine Bachofen von Echt, and their family. The medal speaks to the cultural values of 19th-century Europe, when commemorating family lineage was important. The dual portrait of Karl and Wilhelmine, rendered in profile, harkens back to ancient Roman traditions, which were often used to convey status and power. What does it mean to revive historical methods of memorializing people? The images of their estate and family encapsulate the consolidation of wealth and status. This medal is not merely an aesthetic object, it is an artifact that tells the story of identity, class, and the socio-political dynamics of its time.