Korenmolenaarsgilde van Amsterdam, gildepenning van A.F. van Wijk 1832

This is a guild badge, likely made in 1832, for the Amsterdam millers' guild. The medal presents us with two sides: on one, a stark, linear depiction of a windmill against a rudimentary landscape, etched with the precision of folk art. On the other, an inscription memorializes A.F. van Wijk. The linear windmill illustration uses a network of lines to convey form and depth. This is no romantic landscape; rather it’s a stark rendering that reduces the windmill to its essential geometry. The inscription side, with its almost calligraphic flair, juxtaposes the functional with the ornamental. The medal’s circular form reinforces a sense of enclosure. The piece invites us to consider the interplay between craft, community, and commemoration. It's a token of identity and belonging, transforming the everyday into something enduring.