Tweehonderdste verjaardag van de stichting van de academie van Franeker 1785

This silver medal, commemorating the bicentennial of the Franeker Academy, was made by Johan George Holtzhey. Consider how Holtzhey used dies to strike the two sides of the medal. This process, a mechanized form of engraving, allowed for the relatively quick production of multiple identical objects. The crisp lines and precise details, the result of careful die-cutting, speaks to the engraver’s skill. The silver itself, cool to the touch and weighty in the hand, lends an air of importance. Medals like these played a crucial role in shaping public memory. They were tangible symbols of institutional pride, circulated among alumni and supporters of the academy. The very act of holding and owning such a medal reinforced a sense of belonging and shared history. The medal’s inherent qualities, its material, manufacturing process, and distribution, imbued it with social and cultural significance far beyond its monetary value.