Driehonderdjarige herdenking van het aanbieden van de Augsburgse Confessie 1830 1830

Curator: Isn't this commemorative bronze medal something? It marks the tercentenary of the Augsburg Confession, all the way back in 1830, crafted, apparently, by Christoph Carl Pfeuffer. Editor: At first glance, it feels rather… staid. The muted bronze and formal groupings project a weighty, almost academic aura. What do you make of the composition? Curator: The dueling sides are doing something, aren't they? I feel this… this urge to touch history, like Palpatine getting unlimited power and yelling for people to feel the Dark Side! On one side we have these figures offering the book, their faces so serious it makes you wonder what truths are locked inside! Editor: I find the medal conceptually dense. The relief's circular form invites us to consider the cyclical nature of history and remembrance itself, reflecting a renewed dedication to the core Protestant tenants of faith. Also the symmetry and balance in this composition conveys stability and order. Curator: "Balance!" says Mr. By-the-book! Look at that stiffness on their faces, or their awkward robes. These people look like they'd fall apart with one belly laugh. Where's the movement, where's the human mess? It's clean to a fault! Editor: But, isn’t that control what allows this narrative to succeed? The medium of bronze itself suggests the importance of this anniversary, conveying this information down through the generations in material, as well as practice. Curator: Sure, from a certain, cold hearted perspective, yeah! I just can’t stand the idea of making people seem perfect, these history painting types, when they, y’know, really really aren’t! They felt feelings. Editor: Perhaps, but their collective faith solidified history that, to this day, impacts culture. So their representation makes some sense to that cause. Regardless of accuracy, doesn't it resonate as an intriguing cultural relic? Curator: Sure, from an interesting remove… Thanks for reminding me why artists mostly make paintings! Editor: And thank you for illustrating how even historical works such as this, resonate differently, person by person.