Tekenakademie 'Hierdoor tot Hooger' te Rotterdam, penning van de tweede grootte 1820

This silver medal was created by Adriaan Bemme in Rotterdam, likely sometime around 1800. Its imagery commemorates the Tekenakademie, or drawing academy; fittingly, its primary subject is an allegorical figure of a woman drawing. Medals like this one are fascinating because they straddle the line between sculpture and coin. They were typically produced using a strike, a carefully calibrated blow from a die that would impress the design in a single action. The resulting form is crisp and repeatable, ideally suited to the commemoration of institutions like the Tekenakademie. The inscription, ‘Hierdoor tot Hooger’, translates as ‘Through this to Higher things.’ The reverse is decorated with a laurel wreath, another conventional symbol. Note the way in which the artist has used shallow relief to create a sense of depth, light, and shadow, underscoring the importance of technique in the pursuit of knowledge and advancement. By looking closely at the medal, we can move beyond conventional distinctions between fine art and craft.