Vijftigjarig bestaan van het Teekengenootschap 'Hierdoor tot Hooger' te Rotterdam 1823

Curator: I see here a bronze commemorative medal crafted by Adriaan Bemme in 1823. It commemorates the fiftieth anniversary of the Teekengenootschap ‘Hierdoor tot Hooger’ in Rotterdam, depicting an allegory. The medal format and Neoclassical style speak of civic pride and artistry. What do you make of it? Editor: I’m struck by the medium. It's a print, seemingly on bronze. I guess I hadn't really considered printmaking on medal-like objects. It does have a very… serious feel about it. Why a medal to celebrate an art society? Curator: Good question. Consider the means of production here. Bronze isn’t cheap. Who is commissioning these medals and who is receiving them? This isn't merely about aesthetics, is it? We must consider the medal's production, distribution, and reception. Medals served as a form of currency, tokens of recognition within the drawing society and larger Rotterdam community, confirming status through material culture. Look closer - see how the very form and material solidify social connections. What could this mean for the status of artists at the time? Editor: That makes sense. The bronze makes it seem official, conferring a certain… gravity to the society. Almost like branding in a modern sense, right? Did receiving such medals boost the career of an artist then? Curator: Potentially, but even more than boosting careers, these types of awards confirmed membership, and by extension confirmed one’s participation in the established production methods, subject matter, and material limitations, cementing this society's impact. Now think, who did this exclude? Editor: Wow, I didn’t consider that… Thank you for helping me see the bigger picture—the social, material world at play. Curator: Indeed. Seeing art's reflection in its physical existence is transformative.