Presentiepenning van het Spek- en Varkensslagersgilde te Amsterdam, 1751 1751 - 1795

Editor: Here we have a bronze relief dating from the late 18th century: the 'Presentiepenning van het Spek- en Varkensslagersgilde te Amsterdam, 1751’ by Ludolph Cloppenburg. It’s got such a rough and ready feel to it! I find the depiction of labor somewhat humorous. What do you see in it? Curator: Oh, this guild token, eh? It’s Baroque with a decidedly Dutch twist, earthy yet refined. Notice how Cloppenburg doesn't shy away from showing the grittier aspects of butchery. The casual way the figure kneels and prepares the pig is striking, the pig seemingly in distress; there’s this tension. A bit of dark humor? What do you make of that? Editor: It is curious, isn't it? I hadn’t thought of it that way before. The pig doesn’t look so thrilled! I suppose it gives an honest depiction of the meat trade at that time, and shows what the Spek- en Varkensslagersgilde valued! It makes me think about how much food production has changed, or not, since then. Curator: Indeed. Consider the purpose of such an object: more than just a commemorative piece, it symbolized the identity and values of the guild. Tokens were important back then, they provided identity. What is interesting, for me anyway, is wondering if it fulfilled this ambition. It makes me ponder what our modern day “guild tokens” might be, and whether we’d deem them “art.” Editor: That’s really fascinating; that makes me think of so many possibilities! Thanks for shedding some light on this quirky piece. Curator: My pleasure. Food for thought, quite literally, eh?