Tweehonderdvijftigjarige herdenking van het overlijden van admiraal Cornelis Tromp 1941 1941

Albert P. Termote cast this commemorative medal in 1941 to mark 250 years since the death of Admiral Cornelis Tromp. Look at the circular form, and imagine the artist holding it in their hand as they worked on it. I wonder about the feeling of slowly building up the form, how Termote coaxed the metal into shape, and how this haptic, tactile process must have been a kind of meditation. The admiral’s wig is a mass of curlicues. They look so heavy you imagine the guy must have had a headache all the time. I bet Termote looked at a lot of Baroque portraiture, where they liked a good wig, and the lettering reminds me of ancient coins. Each letter is carefully rendered, with a real sense of craftsmanship. The shine and darkness on the bronze surface create a play of light and shadow, which gives the medal a sense of depth. The bronze seems to glow. It’s a great example of how artists can use materials and techniques to create a powerful image.