Eerste Nederlandsche Jaarbeurs te Utrecht 1917 1917

This is the medal ‘Eerste Nederlandsche Jaarbeurs te Utrecht 1917’ made in 1917 by Chris van der Hoef. It’s a humble bronze disc, but so full of information! Look closely and you will see the detail in the high relief, with a fully rigged sailing ship on one side and a heraldic crest with serpent entwined on the other. The colour is consistent across the surface with a bronzy, golden hue, which is darker in some areas, picking out the detail. The piece is so small, but the detail is remarkable. Check out the waves at the bottom of the boat, or the tiny lines radiating out from the serpent’s head. Van der Hoef understood that making art is an accumulation of many small decisions. I am reminded of other bronze artists like Ernst Barlach who employed similar techniques, and also of the way that medals and coins memorialize moments in time. Like all good art this piece is a celebration of ambiguity.