Tentoonstelling van land- en tuinbouw te Arnhem, ter ere van Willem III, koning der Nederlanden, penning uitegereikt aan H.J. Wilke voor zijn coniferen 1854

This silver medal was designed by David van der Kellen to commemorate an agricultural fair in honor of King Willem III. It was awarded to H.J. Wilke for his conifer trees. The medal's material, silver, speaks to its purpose as a high-value object, distributed to celebrate excellence in agricultural production. The relatively thin metal disc was die-struck. In this process, a design is engraved into hardened steel dies, which are then pressed into the silver under great pressure. The resulting impression leaves a precise and durable image, suitable for mass production. The design celebrates the Dutch monarchy, and on the reverse side, a blank cartouche is surrounded by a laurel wreath, ready to be engraved with the recipient's name. The medal embodies the social context of 19th-century Europe, where agricultural fairs promoted new farming practices. This medal reminds us how an object of applied art can encapsulate the values of its time.