Openen van de rijschool te Utrecht

About this artwork

Zilveren penning. Voorzijde: Wijsheid met spiegel in hand zittend naast pilaar tussen twee paar fasces; op achtergrond pas gestichte rijschool binnen omschrift; afsnede: opschrift. Keerzijde: gekroond wapenschild met op achtergrond rijschool binnen omschrift; daaromheen zes wapenschilden en omschrift.

Art Historical Context

**Opening of the Riding School in (1705)** Crafted by Dutch medallist Nicolas Chevalier in 5, this exquisite silver medal (52 mm in diameter, weighing 57.82 grams) commemorates the inauguration of Utrecht's new riding school—a significant civic achievement in the early 18th-century Netherlands. Struck medals like this were prized Renaissance and Baroque-era art forms, blending fine metalworking with symbolic storytelling. Chevalier's precise engraving captures a moment of local pride, reflecting Utrecht's prosperity amid the Dutch Golden Age's waning years, when equestrian facilities symbolized military readiness and elite culture. On the obverse, the figure of Wisdom sits beside a pillar, holding a mirror—emblems of prudence and self-reflection—flanked by fasces denoting authority. The background features the freshly built riding school, framed by an inscription, underscoring enlightened governance. The reverse displays a crowned coat of arms with the school in view, encircled by six additional shields and lettering, evoking communal heraldry and patronage. Chevalier's mastery of high-relief striking ensures intricate details shine under light, a technique that elevated medals from mere tokens to collectible sculptures. This piece offers a window into Utrecht's civic life, blending allegory with architecture to celebrate progress. A testament to the era's medallic art, it invites visitors to ponder how small silver discs preserved big historical moments.

About the Artist

Nicolas Chevalier · 1828–1902

Born in May 1828 of a Swiss father and a Russian mother. Bénézit, Dictionnaire des peintres (1976) mentions that Chevalier left Saint Petersburg, Russia, for Lausanne, Switzerland, at the age of 17; Thieme-Becker mentions that from 1845 he was living in Lausanne.