Connecticut Tercentenary Medal 1935

Editor: This is the Connecticut Tercentenary Medal by Henry Kreis. The figures seem very deliberately arranged. What do you see in its composition? Curator: Notice how the artist deploys a clear division in pictorial space. On one side, a figural grouping; on the other, symbolic pillars. The obverse showcases human subjects, while the reverse presents abstract concepts through vertical, almost architectural, forms. The medal's materiality—bronze—further enhances its gravitas. Editor: So, it's not just about the figures, but also about how they're presented in relation to these symbolic elements? Curator: Precisely. Kreis employs the medal's circular format to create a visual dialogue between the human and the conceptual, between representation and abstraction.