Tweede eeuwfeest van het Athenaeum te Amsterdam 1832

This silver medal, commemorating the second centenary of the Athenaeum in Amsterdam, was crafted by David van der Kellen. The circular form of the medal is divided into two distinct yet complementary sides, creating a dialogue between image and text. One side features a neoclassical tableau with allegorical figures carefully arranged with a sculpture on a podium, smoke rising from an alter, and a seated woman. The composition and restrained use of line evoke a sense of solemnity. This side is inscribed with 'ATHENAEUM AMSTELDAMENSE'. The reverse is dedicated to a Latin inscription, 'CELEBRATA SAECVLARIA ALTERA VOTA TERTIA,' bordered by 'ILLVSTRIS.SIMIS.PATRIBVS'. The typography is neatly spaced and centered, reflecting the Enlightenment’s reverence for reason and order. The medal’s structure and allegorical style speak to the Athenaeum’s role as a center of learning and civic pride, capturing the values of its time through symbolic form.