Overlijden van Johan Rudolph Thorbecke 1872 1872

Salomon de Vries created this bronze commemorative medal in 1872 to mark the death of Johan Rudolph Thorbecke. De Vries employed a striking process here: die-striking, a technique often used for coins and medals, where a design is impressed into metal using hardened steel dies. Bronze, with its reddish-brown hue, was commonly used for commemorative objects, lending a sense of permanence and solemnity. But the sharp, precise details achieved through die-striking elevate this from a simple cast object. Look closely, and you will see the crisp portrait of Thorbecke and the fine lettering listing significant dates in his life. This process also implies a certain level of mechanization and repetition, a reflection of the industrial age in which it was made. The medal wasn't individually sculpted, but rather produced through a repeatable process, making it accessible to a wider audience. It is a reminder that even commemorative art is often bound up with the means of production, labor, and wider distribution.