Duitse avondmaalspenning 1750 - 1850

This is a German medal, likely made of silver, its surfaces die-struck with imagery and inscriptions. Medals have a fascinating relationship to both art and industry. On one hand, they are often miniature sculptures, demanding great skill to translate designs into three dimensions, as can be seen in the fine detailing of the figures and foliage. However, medals are also reproducible objects, made in multiples to commemorate events, reward achievement, or simply for collecting. The inscriptions here, ‘Kleiner mühe’ and ‘Grosser lohn,’ suggest this one may have been intended to encourage diligence among laborers, who are depicted at work on both sides. One side shows figures planting trees, and the other depicts women harvesting fruit. The very existence of this medal speaks to a capitalist system, where even labor and its rewards are codified and circulated as objects. Consider, though, the skill involved in its making. It may be that the real ‘grosser lohn’ goes to the craftspeople who fashioned the dies for this piece.