Oprichting van een standbeeld voor Willem I, prins van Oranje, ter ere van Willem II, koning der Nederlanden 1845

This silver medal was crafted by Alfred Emile O'Hara de Nieuwerkerke to commemorate the erection of a statue for Willem I by Willem II. The medal employs a circular format, divided into two distinct sides, each carrying its own visual weight and symbolic value. One side presents a profile of Willem II, rendered with a classical precision, the contours of his face sharply defined against the smooth background. The opposite side features the statue itself, elevated on a pedestal, surrounded by inscribed text. The composition here is more complex, with the statue acting as a focal point, drawing the eye upwards. The contrast between the two sides—one a portrait, the other a scene—creates a visual dialogue. It invokes structuralist thinking by positing that meaning arises from the relationship between the medal's distinct halves. It reminds us that art does not exist in a vacuum but engages with broader cultural narratives of power, memory, and representation.