Abraham Ortelius 1598

This bronze medal of Abraham Ortelius was created by Jacques Jonghelinck. What strikes you at first glance is the circular form, the texture of aged bronze, and the stark relief of the figures against the darker background. Consider how Jonghelinck uses the limited space to convey a sense of depth and detail. Ortelius's profile, with its intricate rendering of facial features and clothing, stands in contrast to the allegorical image on the reverse. Here, a pelican pierces its breast to feed its young, symbolizing sacrifice and knowledge dissemination, values associated with Ortelius's work as a cartographer and humanist. This medal challenges fixed meanings by presenting Ortelius not merely as an individual but as an emblem of broader intellectual pursuits. The formal qualities of the medal, such as its shape and material, reinforce the idea of art as a durable medium for conveying complex ideas. Art doesn't have one meaning but invites ongoing discussion and understanding.