Tweede eeuwfeest van de droogmaking van de Beemster 1712

This silver medal, created by Willem de Wijs, commemorates the bicentennial of the Beemster reclamation. Note the prominent heraldic shield displaying a grazing cow, a symbol deeply rooted in agrarian societies, representing fertility, nourishment, and the pastoral idyll. Consider how the image of the cow has been transposed throughout history, from ancient Minoan frescoes, where bulls were central to religious rituals, to the myth of Europa and the Bull, a symbol of abduction and transformation. This emblem is not static; its significance shifts with cultural winds. Here, the Beemster cow evokes the psychological comfort of nature's bounty, a subconscious connection to a fertile landscape, carefully reshaped by human endeavor. Observe how symbols like the cow are never truly confined to their original context. They continually resurface and evolve, carrying with them the echoes of past associations, resonating through time in a perpetual dance of meaning.