Promotie van Christophorus, baron van Bartenstein in de wijsbegeerte aan de universiteit van Leuven 1775

This silver medal commemorates Christophorus, baron van Bartenstein’s promotion in philosophy at the University of Leuven, and was created by Theodorus Victor van Berckel in the late 18th century. This was a period when the Enlightenment’s ideals began to permeate European intellectual circles. The medal features classical allegories. On one side, we see a helmeted female figure representing ‘Academia Belgica Lovani,’ or the Belgian Academy of Leuven, with an owl, symbol of wisdom. The other side depicts a standing woman personifying virtue, next to a bust draped with garlands, symbolizing honor. The baron’s identity as an aristocrat in the context of academic achievement speaks to the intersection of class and intellect during this era. The medal not only celebrates personal accomplishment, but reinforces existing social hierarchies. Its imagery, rooted in classical symbolism, suggests that the pursuit of knowledge is a virtue associated with prestige and legacy.