Bouw van het Crystal Palace voor de internationale tentoonstelling van industrie te Londen, ter ere van Albert, prins van Saksen-Coburg-Gotha 1851

This silver medal, crafted by Joseph Davis, commemorates the construction of the Crystal Palace for London’s 1851 international exhibition. The medal's stark, metallic surface and precise relief evoke a sense of neoclassical order. One side presents a profile of Prince Albert, his features sharply defined, while the other depicts the Crystal Palace. The building's form is rendered with meticulous detail, emphasizing its modular, grid-like structure. This attention to architectural form reflects the broader cultural fascination with industrial progress and rational design. The Crystal Palace itself was a symbol of modernity, challenging traditional notions of space and structure with its innovative use of glass and iron. The medal, in turn, captures this spirit, presenting the palace not merely as a building but as a signifier of a new era. It uses the conventions of classical portraiture and architectural representation to enshrine a thoroughly modern vision.