Stichting VOC-schip Amsterdam 1986

This coin, Stichting VOC-schip Amsterdam, was made by Martin Holtzhey, sometime between 1697 and 1764. I like to think of it as a kind of proto-photograph, a way of capturing a moment in time with this gorgeous bronze relief. Look closely, and you can see that the ship isn’t just floating; it’s battling the waves, angel flying overhead. The colour is warm, almost like a memory, softened by time. It reminds me that art, even in something as functional as a coin, it is about storytelling. The other side of the coin is simpler, a set of letters, but notice how they intersect, forming a kind of puzzle. Holtzhey reminds us that art is not just about surface; it’s about digging deeper, questioning, and finding new connections. This is not so different from the work of modern artists like Jasper Johns, who also liked to play with signs and symbols, inviting us to look beyond the obvious.