Tekenakademie 'Hierdoor tot Hooger' te Rotterdam, penning van de tweede grootte 1820

Editor: Here we have a bronze relief sculpture, a prize medal created by Adriaan Bemme in 1820, called 'Tekenakademie 'Hierdoor tot Hooger' te Rotterdam, penning van de tweede grootte'. What immediately strikes me is how tactile it feels, despite being behind glass. What do you make of it? Curator: Well, considering its materiality – bronze – and its function as a prize, it's deeply rooted in the economics of artistic production. Awarding this medal acknowledges and incentivizes specific artistic labor. How does this relate to craftsmanship and its status during the early 19th century? Editor: It seems to legitimize artistic skill within a formal structure like the Rotterdam Academy, conferring prestige through this bronze object. Curator: Precisely! And notice the Neoclassical imagery – the idealized figure drawing. It suggests a direct link to the prevailing social and cultural values. Do you see a relationship here between material value and ideological function? Editor: The bronze gives the idea of ‘academic success’ a physical presence, but its inherent worth as a material might also say something about how art itself was valued within society. Almost a token of societal participation? Curator: Exactly. So it represents and facilitates both individual and community advancement. Do you consider this tension of the piece unique or common? Editor: I guess I hadn’t really thought of it that way before – that an artwork's value is both innate from its physical presence and through its ability to function within a particular culture and time period. It definitely is worth reflecting on, particularly with sculpture. Curator: Indeed. Now, let's think about this medal not only as an object of artistic achievement but also as a component of a larger societal machine driving production. Hopefully this materialist interpretation expands your understanding and informs future engagement with similar pieces.