Bierbeschooiersgilde van Amsterdam, gildepenning van Jacob Barentsz Zluyter c. 1650 - 1800

Curator: Let’s turn our attention to this Baroque guild medal dating from roughly 1650 to 1800. It commemorates Jacob Barentsz Zluyter from the Beer Porters Guild of Amsterdam, crafted in metal with engraving. Editor: The dark patina and delicate incised lines create a solemn feel. The small scale contrasts intriguingly with the grand crown above the barrel—it feels weighty. Curator: Indeed. The crown resting on the beer barrel is rich with symbolism. In a broader sense, it evokes authority, but here it signifies the Beer Porters Guild’s economic power and self-governance within Amsterdam. Editor: It’s interesting how these guilds transformed mundane labor into sources of status. Who were these "beer porters," anyway? I'm imagining difficult working conditions. Curator: They were responsible for the physical movement of beer barrels, vital to the city's economy and social life, so this medal acknowledged and celebrated their contribution and belonging in this specific moment. And the text around the edges adds an extra layer. Editor: A reminder that it’s handmade, created with precision engraving by an artist whose hands labored over the details, using simple materials in the making of something with a potent value in social belonging. Curator: Exactly. Consider too how its value circulated through members carrying it. A little daily reminder to all that saw it! Editor: The laurel wreath is another powerful image. Wreaths have often crowned victors. It would seem that Jacob Barentsz Zluyter's victory was in joining and maintaining guild membership, another status achievement. Curator: Well, looking at the beer barrel beneath a crown allows us to rethink these historic structures around work, showing not only a complex social history, but also a recognition of labor as a celebrated asset, as we observe Jacob Barentsz Zluyter’s claim to Amsterdam history through craft, symbol, and the power of the guild. Editor: So while seemingly a humble object, the medal reflects complex social structures and systems of value, as well as a potent display of labor and trade history of Amsterdam and Europe.