Tweehonderdjarig bestaan van de Koninklijke Akademie van Beeldende Kunsten te Antwerpen 1863

This is a cast bronze medal, made anonymously to commemorate the bicentennial of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp. The medal’s material is key to its meaning. Bronze, an alloy of copper and tin, has long been associated with commemoration because of its durability. Its capacity to capture fine detail also allows for the crisp depiction of the Academy’s symbols, like the Antwerp coat of arms. The casting process, likely involving a mold made from a master design, allowed for the efficient production of multiple medals. This hints at the Academy’s intention to widely circulate this token, embedding the institution further in the social consciousness of the city. The act of replication also speaks to an industrialized mode of production, moving away from unique, handmade objects. So, while appearing to uphold tradition, this medal, through its material and making, quietly acknowledges the Academy’s place in a rapidly modernizing world, showing how even celebrations of the past are shaped by present realities.