Prof. Dr. Karl Landsteiner / Het Nederlandse Rode Kruis - Bloedtransfusiedienst 1939

This bronze medal commemorating Prof. Dr. Karl Landsteiner, is a small world, complete with a portrait and symbolic imagery. The details are impressive, the way the sculptor coaxes light and shadow from the metal, giving a real sense of depth. The texture is fascinating. Feel how smooth the surface must be, and contrast that with the rougher, more textured areas that define the figures. Look closely, especially at the Pelican and the Cross, how the artist uses these different textures to create contrasts, drawing your eye to specific parts. The Pelican is so symbolic, this self-sacrificing creature and the babies looking up, they are grouped together, it creates a kind of quiet drama in the metal. This reminds me of other artists working with historical images and symbols, like Jasper Johns who used flags and targets as starting points for art as an ongoing conversation. It's like the artist is saying, “Here’s something familiar, now let’s see what it can mean.”