Honderdjarig bestaan (?) van het Comité des Expertises in Frankrijk 1922 1922

This silver medal was crafted by Auguste Paty to commemorate the centenary of the Comité des Expertises in France in 1922. I love thinking about process, and right away, I'm wondering how this was physically made. I imagine Paty, poised, focused, carefully engraving the silver, pushing against its resistant surface. The details of the figure – draped in classical robes, surrounded by symbols of justice and industry – emerge from the metal through trial, error, and intuition. What was Paty thinking as they worked? Were they considering the weight of history, the legacy of French expertise, the role of commerce and industry in society? See how the crisp lines of the inscription contrast with the softer, rounded forms of the figure. The artist is inviting us to reflect on the relationship between order and creativity, reason and intuition, art and industry. Ultimately, artmaking is about exchange, a conversation across time. It’s about inspiring one another's creativity, embracing uncertainty, and allowing for multiple interpretations.