Algemeene Nationale tentoonstelling van Nijverheid te Haarlem, georganiseerd door de Maatschappij ter bevordering van Nijverheid, voorheen de Oeconomische Tak van de Hollandsche Maatschappij der Wetenschappen 1861

This bronze medal was designed by David van der Kellen to commemorate the General National Industry Exhibition in Haarlem. This was no mere trade fair. The medal testifies to the 19th-century belief in progress through industry, a concept closely tied to Dutch national identity after the Napoleonic era. The figure of the Dutch Maiden on the front, holding symbols of commerce and bearing the national coat of arms, embodies this ambition. Organized by the Society for the Promotion of Industry, formerly part of the Dutch Society of Sciences, the event mirrored the broader institutionalization of knowledge and industry. The medal itself, produced by a society dedicated to progress, becomes a historical artifact, reflecting the social and economic aspirations of the Netherlands. To understand the medal's significance fully, one must explore the archives of the Society and the records of the Haarlem exhibition. Only then can we appreciate how deeply intertwined art is with the social structures and ambitions of its time.