Oprichting van de Koninklijke Akademie van Beeldende Kunsten te Amsterdam, ter ere van Willem I Frederik, koning der Nederlanden 1820

Editor: This object commemorates the founding of the Royal Academy of Art in Amsterdam in 1820. It seems to be made of bronze or another metal. One side features the portrait of Willem I Frederik, the King of the Netherlands, while the other shows an allegorical figure. What do you see in this piece beyond its historical context? Curator: Immediately I see a deliberate connection to classical antiquity. Consider the king depicted like a Roman emperor on one side, and then, an almost nude, idealized figure adorning the other. This echoes the Neoclassical style of the era. Beyond aesthetic imitation, what meaning might this borrowed visual language carry? Editor: So, you mean why use older imagery to found a new institution? Curator: Exactly! It speaks to the aspirations and the construction of identity in the newly formed Kingdom of the Netherlands. Visual symbols create continuities and legitimize power. The classical figure implies reason, order, and a kind of timelessness conferred upon the Academy itself. Does this make sense to you? Editor: It does, yes! The artists of the time connected present and past… using a kind of visual PR, maybe? The Academy is aligned to permanence. It’s more than a portrait of the King then; it is a carefully constructed message. Curator: Precisely! Even the choice of metal plays into it: bronze, often used for sculptures of heroes and gods, evokes durability and status. Understanding the symbols transforms this coin from a mere historical marker into a cultural statement about values and ambitions. Editor: I would have just thought it was a coin to celebrate a King but now, considering the symbols, it’s clearly about power and legacy, too.