Genootschap voor landbouw en kruidkunde te Utrecht, penning uitgereikt aan H.J. Wilke voor zijn gravillea longifolia 1843 - 1851

Curator: Welcome! Today, we’re looking at a medal awarded to H.J. Wilke for his gravillea longifolia. The "Genootschap voor landbouw en kruidkunde te Utrecht" presented it sometime between 1843 and 1851. David van der Kellen designed it. Editor: The cool gray surface has such a somber and neoclassical feel. It looks rather small, I wonder if people actually wore it or kept it in a box? Curator: Probably kept more than worn! The process of engraving on metal was quite skilled. It's interesting to consider the value placed on agricultural innovation then. Awarding medals like this was part of fostering improvement, recognizing good husbandry, which itself shows a value of consumption and access to produce. Editor: Precisely! And look at the imagery. We have a draped female figure offering a wreath, a cornucopia brimming with flowers. This feels very rooted in classical imagery. She's Ceres, of course—fertility, the harvest! Curator: Yes, Ceres, an immediately recognizable symbol, easily read by anyone at the time. The repetition of symbolic imagery over time helps embed a cultural framework! The weight this image carries is powerful. Editor: I agree! It elevates the recipient’s achievement, framing it within a long tradition of agricultural pursuit. It connects Wilke’s name with that history! You have to wonder what impact this sort of award had on its recipient, to have physical recognition for good agricultural and botanical work, the labour it took. Curator: It’s a wonderful demonstration of how something quite small can hold so much meaning and offer an interesting insight into past value systems! Editor: Definitely, a poignant intersection of artistry and social recognition that’s resonated through time, well beyond that original botanical achievement.