Veertigjarig regeringsjubileum Koningin Wilhelmina 1938 1938

This bronze medal commemorates Queen Wilhelmina's fortieth year on the throne in 1938. The artist, M.S. Andriessen, has approached the making of this piece with the same kind of slow consideration you find in painting. Consider the bronze itself, so smooth and reflective. The way it feels in your hand – the weight, the cool surface. The profile of Queen Wilhelmina, gazing confidently ahead. The texture of her hair, those tiny curls rendered with such precision. Look closely, and you'll notice the subtle variations in the surface, the way the light catches the high points and leaves the deeper areas in shadow. It's these small details that bring the portrait to life. This reminds me of some of those old Roman coins, or even the work of someone like Medardo Rosso, where form seems to emerge from a hazy, dreamlike space. Art is a conversation that goes on and on, and this medal is just one small voice in that ongoing exchange.