Penning met het portret en personificatie op Gerard van Swieten 1761 - 1816

Sebastian Mansfeld created this print of Gerard van Swieten in 1780. As a piece of institutional history, this commemorative medal presents us with a fascinating window into the world of 18th-century medicine and its relationship to power. The portrait on one side presents van Swieten as a figure of authority, inscribed with his titles as advisor and librarian. Turn the medal over, and you see an allegorical scene. Here, the seated figure represents the medical arts. We can see instruments of scientific research, next to a flourishing plant, with the words 'Docet et Sanat' - 'It teaches and heals.' The inscription 'Med. Vienn. Emend' indicates that this medal commemorates the reform of medical education in Vienna. To understand this image fully, we might delve into the archives of the University of Vienna or study the history of medicine under the Habsburg Empire. Approaching art through institutional history enriches our understanding of the cultural forces at play.