Amsteldamsch Dicht- en Letteroefenend Genootschap "Wij streeven naar de volmaaktheid", penning uitgereikt aan Jacob Cuyck van Mierop Possibly 1783 - 1800

Curator: Here we have a bronze medal created by Johan George Holtzhey between 1783 and 1800. It's inscribed as a presentation piece to Jacob Cuyck van Mierop from the Amsterdam Society for Poetry and Literary Exercises, "Wij streven naar de volmaaktheid"—"We strive for perfection." Editor: That's a lot of information packed into a tiny bronze disc! Visually, I’m immediately drawn to the allegory playing out on one side – these cherubic figures seemingly guiding a man toward...what is that, an altar with the Amsterdam coat of arms? It has this very serious yet playful feel, like a child playing dress-up in their father's scholarly robes. Curator: That playful gravitas is a hallmark of Neoclassical art, which prized moral instruction wrapped in the aesthetics of antiquity. Medals like these were important symbols in civic life. The imagery—a scholar inspired by putti to improve his mind using enlightenment values—is communicating ideals valued by Dutch society at the time. Editor: And you know, I think what hits me hardest is that striving for perfection that they mention. It feels, you know, a bit haunting, seeing that even back then folks were on this treadmill. It kind of makes you wonder if they were having fun being poets! Curator: Well, intellectual life was certainly very competitive. And the medal served to remind people what excellence in poetry and the art of rhetoric would get you within the group: acknowledgement. However, medals at the time also reflected societal changes; a gradual shift away from family traditions toward self-made achievements. Editor: Recognition is definitely still a strong motivator today, isn’t it? Looking at it this way, though, maybe that serious striving… well, perhaps it brought those poets closer. Perhaps community helps make all that effort worthwhile. Curator: A fascinating point. These objects offer glimpses not only into the ambitions of the individual being honored but also into the values of the organizations and the society supporting them. Editor: Absolutely, a conversation starter—and it’s amazing to think how this little medal once sparked a little bit of perfection and friendship. It can definitely speak to us still, even now.