Vierde eeuwfeest van de uitvinding van de boekdrukkunst 1823

This medal commemorating the fourth centenary of printing was made in 1823 by Joseph-Pierre Braemt. It's a small but weighty object, made of gilt bronze, a material often used for commemorative objects. The imagery on the medal depicts a figure standing beside a printing press, surrounded by symbols of knowledge and progress. The act of striking a medal is itself a kind of printing. It’s closely tied to the history of reproducibility and the dissemination of information that the printing press represents. The medal celebrates not just the invention of printing, but also the skilled labor required to produce and operate the press. Consider the labor required to design and strike the die for the medal, requiring careful planning, technical knowledge, and physical exertion. The production of such a medal would have involved a network of artisans and manufacturers, each contributing their expertise to the final product. By emphasizing the role of skilled labor and technical expertise, this medal prompts us to rethink conventional hierarchies between art and craft.