For Success in Art 1856

Curator: It seems we're now facing William Wyon's bronze medal, crafted in 1856, a work titled "For Success in Art". Editor: My goodness, it’s radiant! It reminds me of opening a pirate's treasure chest and finding it filled to the brim with golden doubloons, gleaming and waiting to be spent...or in this case, examined. Curator: Indeed. Its form speaks to the enduring visual language of neoclassical portraiture and its persistent use of idealized figures in the 19th century. Think about the relationship between state power and image production here. Editor: Power definitely oozes from it! Just look at that delicate crown perched so firmly on her head. Though, the artist has made the Roman numerals feel a little awkward. Curator: Let’s contextualize. Wyon, a notable die engraver for the British Royal Mint, produced this medal, fitting within a larger trend of commissioning and circulating medals as commemorative or reward objects. The text surrounding Queen Victoria is interesting too; “Victoria By the Grace of God Queen” reminds us of divine rights. Editor: You are right! There is a deliberate invocation of a historical system that has, perhaps, less place in our society now than it used to have, even back then! I suppose it is no surprise that this piece feels a little conservative, but it still retains something elegant and simple about it. What strikes you most about this piece? Curator: I am drawn to how this decorative object reifies a complex web of authority – personal, political, even spiritual – within a specific visual vocabulary aimed at conveying stability and tradition. Though in my personal politics, the power this kind of portrait evokes feels a bit stale for our contemporary life. Editor: Well, sometimes it’s refreshing to be transported. Though power can be expressed in oppressive ways, I suppose that we should still celebrate power in our lives through strength of self, community solidarity, and creative acts! It’s a funny, paradoxical relationship. Anyway, looking at this has given me food for thought! Curator: Precisely! This bronze medal encourages reflection on how societal narratives, even those seemingly immutable, are continuously constructed and reinforced through objects of art. Thank you for that perspective!