Zilveren penning van de geboorte van prinses Juliana met bijbehorende doos 1909

This silver commemorative coin was made by Johannes Cornelis Wienecke to celebrate the birth of Princess Juliana. Looking at the surface, I can feel Wienecke’s touch, the steady hand moving through the silver. I can almost picture Wienecke in his studio, grappling with how to capture this moment. Isn’t it something, how artists across time and medium are trying to translate feelings into form? He’s using classical imagery, a mother goddess cradling a newborn against a backdrop of the sea. Everything is soft and rounded, an idea of peace and prosperity embodied. And that silver sheen! It’s reflecting light, mirroring the future the coin hopes to ensure. This feels like a conversation across time—Wienecke speaking to us, to other artists, sharing his hopes. Art is always in dialogue, a continuous exchange that fuels creativity across generations.