N.V. Koninklijke Nederlandsche Edelmetaalbedrijven van Kempen, Begeer en Vos, Afdeeling Medailles 1921 - 1922

This bronze medal was made by Eduard Telcs for the Dutch Precious Metals Company, and it’s got this great tactile quality. You can feel the dedication and care that went into pressing the design into the metal. What strikes me about the medal is the use of form to tell a story. On one side, you have these almost classical figures, a woman and child, possibly representing abundance and growth. Then, on the other side, a cherubic figure is hard at work with hammer and anvil. I love how the artist used the curves of the cherub’s body to convey both power and precision. It's like a snapshot of the creative process itself! You can see the intention of each strike of the hammer, with the textures creating a real sense of depth. This work reminds me a bit of Constantin Meunier, particularly his industrial scenes. The medal beautifully captures the balance between craft and creation, labor and art, which is something I think about a lot in my own painting process. It's all about the conversation between your intention and the materials, isn't it?