Piersonpenning, uitgereikt aan prof.dr. G.A. Kessler 1910 - 1979

This Pierson Medal was made by Pier Pander; I guess sometime around the late 19th or early 20th century. It looks like bronze. The medal is cast with a sharp realism, but if you look closely at the surface, you'll see little marks and imperfections, which really add to its character. It's not trying to be perfectly smooth. It wants to look worn. You can see the details of Professor Kessler's face are all very clear. Then when you look at the other side, with its crazy heraldry, there's something that feels almost comical in its grandiosity. It reminds me a bit of James Ensor's masks. The relief is shallow and delicate, creating a tactile surface that catches the light in interesting ways. And though this is a medal, and was probably made in multiples, it still feels like a handmade, one-off object, not unlike the paintings of someone like Philip Guston, who took a similar approach to this kind of cartoonish figuration. It's a reminder that even in mass production, there's room for individuality and expression.