Medalje over astronom Heinrich Wilhelm Olbers 1808 - 1889

Erling Eckersberg created this medal of astronomer Heinrich Wilhelm Olbers using engraving. The image consists of two circular medallions. Medals serve a public function. They commemorate achievements and circulate images of important figures. Notice how Olbers is dressed in the style of a Roman senator. This medal, likely made in Denmark, where Eckersberg worked, invokes an ancient tradition of honor and prestige. It connects Olbers to a lineage of intellectual and political leaders. The other medallion makes use of Greek mythological figures, further emphasizing the classical origins of Olbers's celebrity. This medal reflects the social conditions that shape artistic production. Institutions, such as the monarchy or academy, commission them to promote certain values and figures. As historians, we can study the medal to understand the cultural context of 19th-century Europe. We might ask, how did classical imagery function to create meaning? Or, what sources of authority, such as science and art, did the medal seek to connect? Ultimately, this medal, like all art, is contingent on social and institutional forces.