Overlijden van Toon Dupuis 1937 1937

This bronze medal, "Overlijden van Toon Dupuis 1937", was made by the Vereniging voor Penningkunst. It's a small thing, just 6cm in diameter, but that compact scale concentrates the meaning. Look at the way the light catches the surface, a whole topography of tiny marks. It's like a drawing, built up slowly, layer by layer. You can imagine the artist's hand, pressing into the material, coaxing out this portrait. The texture isn't smooth or polished but broken and imperfect. It reminds me of how we build up a picture of someone in our minds, not just from one clear image, but from lots of little details and impressions. The color too, that warm, aged bronze, speaks of memory and time passing. There's a directness and intimacy in this piece that reminds me of the work of Constantin Meunier, both artists capture the dignity of the human figure. It's like they're having a conversation across time. Art isn't about answers; it's about questions.