Twee gedenkpenningen op de Beurs van Zocher te Amsterdam - Jan Dam Steuerwald

A precise nineteenth-century engraving by Jan Dam Steuerwald documenting commemorative medals for the Beurs van Zocher in Amsterdam.

This engraving by Jan Dam Steuerwald documents the commemorative medals struck to mark the opening of the Beurs van Zocher in Amsterdam. The building, designed by the architect Jan David Zocher, was a significant addition to the city's commercial infrastructure during the mid-nineteenth century. Steuerwald, a Dutch engraver, captures the precise details of the medals, which feature both the architectural facade of the exchange and allegorical figures representing trade and commerce.

The composition is minimalist, presenting the four sides of the two medals against a clean, neutral background. This arrangement allows the viewer to examine the relief work and the inscriptions with clarity. The engraving technique employed by Steuerwald demonstrates a high level of technical control, particularly in the rendering of the metallic surfaces and the fine lettering of the inscriptions. The work serves as a historical record of the civic pride associated with the new exchange building, which was a centre for mercantile activity in Amsterdam.

Jan Dam Steuerwald was active during a period when such commemorative prints were common for documenting public works and civic milestones. His work reflects the formal, disciplined aesthetic of the era, where accuracy and clarity were prioritised over expressive flourish. The print provides a window into the intersection of numismatics, architecture, and printmaking in the Netherlands during the 1840s. By isolating these objects on the page, the artist invites a focused study of the craftsmanship involved in medal design, as well as the architectural vision of Zocher. This piece is an excellent example of nineteenth-century documentary printmaking, offering a precise visual account of a structure that played a role in the economic life of Amsterdam.