Vijfentwintigjarige huwelijk van Anthony van den Bergh en Susanna Lubeley 1764

Curator: Before us, we have a commemorative medal titled "Vijfentwintigjarige huwelijk van Anthony van den Bergh en Susanna Lubeley," marking Anthony van den Bergh and Susanna Lubeley's 25th wedding anniversary, crafted by Johan George Holtzhey in 1764. Editor: It’s remarkably preserved. At first glance, I’m struck by the medal’s solemn tone, despite celebrating such a personal milestone. There’s a density of detail that suggests both pride and formality. Curator: Note how the obverse features the family's crowned coat-of-arms, opulent floral ornamentation in a vase, and circumferential text stating the couple's names. The reverse contains celebratory verse. We should think of the craftsmanship itself: a circular relief of metallic material featuring a balance of complex relief sculpting. Editor: Absolutely, and these medals often had functions beyond pure aesthetics, acting as historical documents that solidified social standing and lineage. I think the choice to depict family lineage reflects the values and political climate of that era. How much agency did Susanna Lubeley truly possess within this celebratory image? Was this "Vereenigingsdag" a day that represented not just love, but societal and familial obligation? Curator: That's a rich avenue for interpretation, isn’t it? By design the form serves both to remember this couple but also memorialize Holtzhey’s work as a form of portraiture and storytelling via heraldry and allegory. We can easily examine the poem and family crest without ever considering social or personal histories to extract meaning here. Editor: And, yet, the poem and crest exist within specific material conditions and the lives lived, the very socio-historical frameworks and interpersonal negotiations of that period give greater nuance to Holtzhey's choices, in material and allegorical composition. These weren’t neutral choices, of course. I wonder, how might later generations have reacted to this sort of depiction of marriage as civic spectacle? Curator: Indeed. Such juxtapositions only sharpen our focus. Considering design, texture, composition of forms alone reveals as much intent. I appreciate how this approach highlights the tension between celebration and sober pronouncement, a paradox that's as captivating today as it was then. Editor: I'm walking away contemplating the individuals beyond the heraldry – wrestling with legacy, their identities inevitably entwined. It adds a human element to the artistry.