Afdeling Amsterdam van de Hollandsche Maatschappij van Landbouw, penning uitgereikt aan P.H. van Gelder voor zijn camellia's 1858

This silver medal was designed by Johannes Petrus Schouberg to be awarded in Amsterdam in 1858. It commemorates P.H. van Gelder’s horticultural success with camellias. The medal's imagery encapsulates the societal values of the time. The tools depicted are symbols of the Dutch agricultural society which commissioned the piece, suggesting that cultivating the land through methodical practice could yield social rewards. Camellias, in the 19th century, were a symbol of luxury and cultivation, which would have been grown in hothouses by wealthy landowners. What interests me most about this medal is that it shines a light on the culture of the time: one in which agricultural and horticultural societies played a significant role in shaping values and identities. Further research into the archives of the Hollandsche Maatschappij van Landbouw could reveal more about the social function of these societies and their impact on Dutch culture.