Centennial of the Birth of Charles Darwin, 1809-1882 [obverse] 1909

This is Karl Goetz’s medal commemorating the centennial of Charles Darwin’s birth. The design process here feels very hands on, very material - you can almost feel the artist pushing and prodding the metal to create this portrait. The texture of the coin is incredible, isn't it? Notice the lines that make up Darwin’s hair and beard, so precise, yet somehow wild and untamed. It's like Goetz is using the metal itself to embody Darwin's revolutionary ideas about nature. The way the light catches the raised surfaces gives the portrait a kind of animated quality, as if Darwin is about to speak or maybe even evolve right before our eyes. Goetz, known for his satirical medals, reminds me a bit of Honoré Daumier, who also used his art to comment on society and challenge conventional thinking. Both artists embrace ambiguity, leaving space for multiple interpretations.