Gereformeerde Diakonie te Amsterdam, loodje dat behoeftige kerklidmaten bij uitdeling recht gaf op brood 1741

This lead token, made by Martin Holtzhey, was given to impoverished church members in 18th-century Amsterdam, entitling them to bread. Notice the figure of a bearded man, likely a depiction of Saint Nicholas, seated on a donkey, a bird perched on his head. This imagery is rooted in ancient symbols of charity and divine favor. The bird, an age-old messenger of the gods, mirrors similar motifs found in classical antiquity, like the dove of Venus. Yet, here, it seems almost ironic, perched atop a saint known for generosity, as if to question the very nature of giving and receiving. On the reverse, a loaf of bread evokes a sense of shared sustenance. This simple loaf is a reminder of the Last Supper and the body of Christ. But here, it also serves as a token, a means of social exchange. These symbols recur across cultures and epochs, constantly reshaped by collective memory. The image on this token embodies a powerful psychological tension between spiritual ideals and material realities. Ultimately, this token is a testament to how symbols, like bread and birds, are not fixed in meaning but continuously evolve, reflecting society’s shifting concerns.