Past exhibition
Small monuments
Beethoven as a subject in medal art
3 February 2022 to 30 June 2022
They are made from gold, silver, bronze or iron and come from almost all countries in the world–the medals and coins in memory of Ludwig van Beethoven. This type of remembrance practice that still exists today and has recently seen a huge renaissance has been around since 1827, the year Beethoven died. Important medallists like Josef Daniel Böhm, Edouard Gatteaux, Arnold Hartig and Bruno Eyermann designed Beethoven medals and nations around the globe from Europe to China and New Zealand had coins minted in his memory.
This special exhibition deals with various questions on this particular form of arts and crafts, setting it into a larger art historical context by comparing it to examples from graphics, painting and sculpture. It also features a selection of international commemorative coins, among them coins minted for the Beethoven anniversary year 2020. The digital presentation of further examples and the detailed presentation of important exhibits in a companion publication complement the exhibition.