Collegium Medicum te Amsterdam, toegangspenning voor de hortus medicus voor apothekersleerling H.J.C. 1779

Art Historian: Look closely at this intriguing object: it's an access token to the Hortus Medicus in Amsterdam, dating from 1779. It was specifically made for an apothecary apprentice, H.J.C. Curator: It's… smaller than I imagined. Almost like a flattened, ornamented coin. There’s a formality here that feels strangely at odds with the hands-on nature of medicinal botany. It brings up interesting questions about class and access to knowledge during that period. Art Historian: The symbols are rather potent, wouldn’t you say? On one side we see a vase overflowing with symbolic flora. The words ‘Hortus Medicus’ encircle this arrangement. On the other side are elaborate initials beneath a crown and the date. These images are deliberately chosen, embedding meaning for those in the know. Curator: Yes, and let’s not overlook the gatekeeping aspect of these images! An apothecary’s apprentice having exclusive access raises questions. Who gets to heal, who is healed, and what hierarchies were reinforced through something as simple as entering a medicinal garden? Access was probably largely limited based on wealth and class. Art Historian: True. But I see this also as something akin to a charm. Flowers in a vase have appeared across centuries to promote the values of specific elites. Even here, flowers symbolize specific healing virtues. A crown over the letters signals an ideal to follow, something like virtue over toil in the garden, while acting as a form of visual endorsement of someone from high-standing. Curator: An interesting counterpoint, but still… consider the year it was made: 1779. Social and political upheaval brewing all over Europe, ideas of equality gaining momentum and this little metal disc representing the enduring power structures that limited those very ideals for marginalized groups. What healing was actually happening in that garden, and for whom? Art Historian: That's a powerful consideration. To me, though, its lasting quality lies in a continuity of symbols – the flowers speaking silently through the ages. The crown even points to the weight that such institutions carried in social hierarchy. Curator: For me, this highlights how everyday objects reinforce social power. By understanding its context, we confront enduring inequalities. Art Historian: Agreed. These humble coins, when we pause to consider their symbols, unlock rich dialogues!