Postzegeltentoonstelling Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam 1938 1938

This gilded silver plaque, crafted in 1938 by the Koninklijke Utrechtsche Fabriek, commemorates the Postal Stamp Exhibition at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam. Its presentation is strikingly formal: text is neatly arranged within a rectangular frame, adorned with laurel leaves, a symbol of victory and honor. A small enameled coat of arms sits at the top, injecting a splash of color. The plaque's design operates on multiple levels. First, the metallic sheen and precise lettering suggest a sense of officialdom and prestige. Second, the text functions semiotically, encoding a specific historical event, and the coat of arms acts as a visual signifier of civic identity. The plaque invites us to consider how seemingly simple commemorative objects participate in larger cultural systems of meaning. It's not merely a record of an event but a carefully constructed artifact that reflects prevailing values and modes of representation.