John Charles Robinson Medal

'John Charles Robinson Medal'
Felicity Powell
2002
Cast by Alan Dunn
London
2002
Patinated cast bronze
Museum no. A.5-2002.
Commissioned by the V&A with funding from an anonymous donor.

Surface treatments greatly affect our appreciation of a medal. Here Powell has applied a copper nitrate solution, under heat, to give a greenish-blue patination (a chemical alteration of a metal surface, resulting in a change of colour). Unusually, she has left the edge unpatinated. Instead, she has polished it and stamped it with Robinson's full name and dates, adding also the cryptic message 'From Few to Many'.