Ter ere van de gesneuvelden te Brussel Possibly 1830 - 1839

Curator: Before us we have "Ter ere van de gesneuvelden te Brussel", a bronze medal, possibly dating from between 1830 and 1839, attributed to Adrien Hippolyte Veyrat. Editor: It's surprisingly austere, isn't it? The stark simplicity lends a real gravity to the piece, and the color just emphasizes the metallic quality. It makes you think of tools and war... or, well, the *remains* of it, perhaps. Curator: Austerity definitely speaks to its function and the solemnity it’s meant to evoke. Let’s look at the imagery itself: the primary side shows what appears to be a funerary urn enclosed within a wreath, bearing the inscription “Aux braves morts pour l'indépendance”. Editor: Right, “to the brave dead for independence.” The inscription itself acts almost as a frame to the central image. And on the other side, the dates “23, 24, 25 et 26 Septembre 1830” are engraved with, presumably, “Bruxelles” at the top. The metallic engraving is extremely stark, but powerful, like stonecut. Curator: Precisely. These dates are, of course, commemorating the days of the Belgian Revolution in Brussels. What I find most interesting is the artist’s choice of bronze. It makes me consider the means of medal production and consumption, particularly its relation to contemporary political conflicts. What do you think? Editor: The decision to work in bronze offers multiple layers of meaning. Its relative affordability would have allowed wider distribution and therefore, increased circulation of a unifying narrative of patriotic sacrifice in those turbulent years. But what truly strikes me, beyond socio-economic conditions of that time, is the geometric arrangement. Curator: And that arrangement, coupled with the very nature of the commemorative medal, attempts to crystallize grief, translating ephemeral experience into something concrete and durable. The formal qualities clearly amplify the thematic concerns. Editor: Well, this brief encounter has provided an understanding of the intertwined aesthetics and purpose. Curator: Indeed; a testament to the potency of the medal as a form of remembrance, bridging public action and private grief through accessible artistry.