Tweede eeuwfeest van het ontzet van Aardenburg 1872

Curator: At first glance, there's a sternness, a stoicism etched into this metallic surface. Is it commemorative? Editor: Indeed. This is a medal from 1872 by Leopold Wiener titled "Tweede eeuwfeest van het ontzet van Aardenburg"—commemorating the bicentennial of the relief of Aardenburg. You sense the commemorative aspect because it reflects a very deliberate historical consciousness, even pride. Curator: Precisely. I’m immediately drawn to the central figure. She has the familiar attributes of a classical allegorical figure, perhaps a symbol of peace and prosperity in times of war. Editor: Right. Note how the woman is surrounded by imagery alluding to defense but in times of prosperity turned into civil implements. The text also alludes to turning swords into spades. Wiener places the historical narrative within the political context of rebuilding after conflict. Curator: A deliberate statement. Symbolically, it shows us the triumph of cultivation over conflict. The symbolism on the reverse is so fascinating! The coat of arms supported by those regal lions is quite something. Editor: Coats of arms in that period become more and more connected with nationalist sentiments. Here, this medallion becomes a powerful object asserting collective identity. Curator: You're right to notice how objects act as social actors. This piece strikes me as an artifact carrying a message that's so clearly anchored in a specific moment of historical self-reflection. A physical embodiment of collective memory, you might say? Editor: Absolutely, a cultural marker designed to remind future generations of past struggles and triumphs but also as an encouragement to unite after the horrors of war. It reflects a deliberate shaping and celebrating of the past. What I find interesting here is the tension between the specificity of that event in Aardenburg and the more universal message around peace. Curator: Exactly. Perhaps the core of art is exactly this relationship: an embrace of duality that leaves us to reflect, consider, perhaps even act differently within the same conflicts of the present moment. Editor: A duality that holds possibilities of peace.