25 jarig regeringsjubileum koningin Wilhelmina 1923

This bronze medal commemorating Queen Wilhelmina's 25th Jubilee was made by Chris van der Hoef, though we don't know exactly when. What strikes me is how the artist is working within such a small space, every mark counts. It's like a little universe of intention. The texture here is everything; the artist really makes you feel the weight and density of the bronze. Look at the way the light catches those raised areas, giving depth to the portrait of Wilhelmina on the front. The reverse, with its swirling patterns and ceremonial objects, feels almost like a dreamscape. These kinds of commemorative objects, especially in metal, always make me think of the work of someone like Jasper Johns, who also played with ideas of repetition, symbolism, and the everyday object. What is history anyway, but a series of such objects and images that get repeated over time?