XVIIIe Interparlementaire Vredesconferentie Den Haag, 1913 1913

This commemorative bronze plaque was made in 1913 by Jacob Jan van Goor to celebrate the Eighteenth Interparliamentary Peace Conference in The Hague. What gets me about this piece is the way van Goor uses line and relief to create a sense of depth and texture. It’s not just a flat image; it feels like a world in miniature. You can almost feel the cool smoothness of the bronze, the way the light catches the raised details of Wilhelmina, Queen of the Netherlands’ profile, and the heraldic shields and leafy fronds that surround her. The lettering, pressed into the metal, gives it a sense of officialdom, but it’s the small details that really draw me in, like the subtle curve of Wilhelmina’s neck or the way the leaves curl and twist around the edges. It’s a conversation between the bold and the delicate. I wonder if Van Goor was inspired by the work of Alphonse Mucha? Both artists share a love for intricate details and decorative embellishments. This plaque reminds us that art, even in its smallest forms, can be a powerful symbol of hope and peace.