Joan Daniel Cornelis Carel Willem, baron d'Ablaing van Giessenburg, penning door de officieren van de afdeling Mobiele Utrechtse Schutterij aan hun kolonel geschonken 1853

This silver medal was made by David van der Kellen, and commemorates Joan Daniel Cornelis Carel Willem, baron d'Ablaing van Giessenburg. It was gifted to him by officers of the mobile Utrecht Civic Guard. It is an object steeped in the imagery of military and civic duty. The baron’s likeness projects an image of authority, while the reverse side depicts cannons and flags. It is inscribed with the years 1830 to 1834, referring to the Belgian Revolution, when d'Ablaing van Giessenburg commanded the Utrecht Civic Guard, a militia tasked with maintaining order. This medal embodies the complex intersections of class and civic responsibility in the 19th century, offering a glimpse into the hierarchies of the time, where military service was a domain of the elite. The medal is not merely a symbol of honor; it’s a reminder of the ever-present tensions between civic duty and the realities of social stratification. It invites us to reflect on who is called to serve, and at what cost.