Onthulling van het standbeeld van Jeroen Bosch te 's-Hertogenbosch 1930 1929 - 1930

Curator: Immediately striking is the subject’s gaze – unwavering, direct, and possessing an undeniable gravity. Editor: I see wear, age; you can almost smell the metal from here. Its fabrication really conveys weight. Curator: Precisely. This bronze relief, created by Jacob Jan van Goor around 1929-1930, commemorates the unveiling of a statue of Jeroen Bosch in 's-Hertogenbosch. The inscription around the edge memorializes Bosch’s passing. Editor: I'm thinking of the foundry, the specific techniques of bronze casting in the late 20s… bronze casting in and of itself goes way back and still relies so heavily on a certain element of human touch in modeling and then handling molten metal. Curator: An excellent point! Van Goor has masterfully used the relief medium to capture depth and form. The texture achieved creates compelling chiaroscuro; consider how it defines the contours of Bosch’s face. Editor: It really does bring a certain dignity but the lines in the face remind me of wrinkles in a painter's cloth. Speaking of cloth, Bosch’s garments really do highlight just how skilled these relief makers are at differentiating textures; look at the smoothness of the skin contrasted to the way the cloth bunches and folds. Curator: I couldn’t agree more. This level of nuanced modeling transcends simple representation; the materiality and handling of the metal becomes expressive, speaking to legacy, craftsmanship, and memory. Editor: This piece gives pause to consider the many unseen hands—the metalworkers, the mold-makers—that contributed to celebrating Bosch. Curator: Ultimately, van Goor's artistic choice here functions on a higher symbolic level. By returning to the bronze medium he’s not only invoking classical sculpture, but also the weight of art history itself. Editor: Looking closer, this object provides insight into more than the commemoration of an artist. The medal represents so many levels of process— from bronze pouring to social memory, so many hands involved with that singular, lasting image.