Tentoonstelling van bouwmaterialen, georganiseerd door de Vereeniging voor Volksvlijt te Amsterdam 1853

This is a silver medal, created to commemorate the Building Materials Exhibition in Amsterdam, back in 1896. It was commissioned by the Association for the Promotion of Industry, and though the maker is now anonymous, its means of production are evident. It would have been struck from a die, a process demanding both physical strength and precision. The metal would have been forced into the engraved design under immense pressure, resulting in the crisp, raised lettering and intricate details. The material itself, silver, wasn't just chosen for its aesthetic appeal. It also had intrinsic value, reflecting the perceived importance of the exhibition and the association backing it. We can consider this medal as a material witness to a specific moment in time. The medal represents an artifact celebrating industrial progress, but the labor required to produce it, and the social inequalities it may have perpetuated, are also part of its story. By looking closely at the materials and methods used, we gain a deeper understanding of its historical and cultural context.