Simon Stevin 1548-1620 1830

This bronze medal depicting Simon Stevin was produced by Adolphe Jouvenel, in the Netherlands. Though undated, its Neoclassical style places its creation sometime in the mid-19th century. Stevin, a Flemish mathematician and engineer, is rendered in profile, his attire marking him as a figure of the Dutch Golden Age. Jouvenel’s choice of bronze, a material often associated with commemorative sculptures and public monuments, elevates Stevin to the status of a national hero, a nod to the growing sense of national identity in the 19th century Netherlands. On the reverse, an inscription celebrates Stevin’s contributions to mathematics and engineering, framing him as a key figure in the country’s history of scientific advancement. To fully understand this medal, we must delve into the social and political context of 19th-century Netherlands. A good place to start is to explore archival records and institutional histories to reveal how figures like Stevin were instrumentalized in constructing a narrative of national progress.