Promotie met de kap te Utrecht 1736

This silver medal, "Promotie met de kap te Utrecht," was created by Nicolaas van Swinderen to commemorate a doctoral promotion at Utrecht University. During the 18th century, universities were centers of societal power, largely excluding women and people from lower social classes. Medals like these served not only as personal mementos for the promoted doctor but also as symbols of institutional authority and scholarly achievement within a hierarchical society. On one side, we see a robed scholar under divine light, representing the enlightenment values associated with academic pursuits. On the other side is the University's coat of arms. Consider how this medal speaks to themes of privilege and access. Who was celebrated, and whose stories are missing? How do such artifacts reflect and reinforce the societal structures of their time?