Jan van Eyck, Vlaams schilder 1828

Curator: Isn’t it incredible? Here we have a bronze medal dating back to 1828 by Franciscus Johannes de Hondt. The inscription refers to "Jan van Eyck, Vlaams schilder," so it’s a commemorative piece honoring the Flemish painter. Editor: The light reflecting off its surface gives the coin or medal a feeling of… seriousness. Maybe even melancholy? There’s a gravity to the man's profile—Van Eyck, that is, assuming this is accurate to any degree! And I can't tell... what's going on with the turban-like headwear? Is that typical of portraits of him? Curator: Not really a turban, per se, but headwear like this—a chaperon— appears in some of his self-portraits and portraits from that era. And it has symbolic value. Throughout different periods, head coverings signaled identity and rank. The other side has this gorgeous laurel wreath. It almost looks ancient. Editor: Right? The wreath practically screams "glory" and victory." So there is that brighter side... still the darkness of the metal keeps tugging me down a bit. I see honor but also something almost foreboding. Maybe it is my overactive imagination? Curator: No, I don’t think so! Metal itself carries layers of symbolism. It is solid. Intact. Incorruptible. Medals such as this immortalize a subject, freezing that person in time. But the use of bronze is smart as its reddish-brown tones evoke the soil, recalling a person who will become dust. There’s a very poignant connection. The inscription that says “Pictus a Brugis.” I wonder if that hints at the city playing muse. Editor: Bruges, yes! And its effect. I’m finding I am increasingly thinking of time... Memory and loss mixed with tribute. Curator: Absolutely, it is as though the piece invites us to remember not just van Eyck, but his whole world! Its ambitions and melancholies... It reminds me that even celebrations often carry undertones of the bittersweet. Editor: Mmh, quite, a good bit more thought-provoking than I expected! Makes me want to hunt down more artwork that evokes dual and perhaps contradicting emotions like these... This feels oddly complete.