Min Moder (My Mother)

Artist / Maker Christian Petersen (Danish - American, 1885 - 1961)

Manufacturer Chas. M. Robbins Company (American, 1892 - 1963)

Date1900; 1912-1914

MediumBronze

Dimensions58 mm. dia.

ClassificationsMedals, Medallions, and Coins

Credit LineGift of Richard Draper. In the Christian Petersen Art Collection, Christian Petersen Art Museum, University Museums, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.

Object numberUM2019.272

Status

Not on view

Collections

CultureAmerican

Label TextFrom the University Museums Collections Handbook, vol. 2, 2025: Christian Petersen’s artistic journey began in 1900 when he enrolled in a two-year die-cutting apprenticeship at the Newark Technical and Fine Arts School. By 1902, Petersen worked as a steel engraver and die-cutter while attending night classes at the Fawcett School of Design. He later created his first the three-dimensional medal, Min Moder (My Mother), cast in silver and bronze, marking the beginnings of his career in medallic art. The design features a profile portrait of his mother, Helene, seated in a chair. While the style recalls the classical tradition of cameo medallions, it uniquely highlights a domestic setting, imbuing the medallion with a sense of personal memory and intimacy. This portrayal transforms the medallion into a timeless representation, capturing a quiet, domestic moment that elevates the personal to the monumental. Produced by the Robbins Co. in Attleboro, Massachusetts, the medal was featured in their 1912−1914 catalog, although it was listed without the inscription Min Moder. The catalog, which includes the medal, is preserved in the Robbins Co. archives at the Attleboro Area Industrial Museum. Petersen, born in 1885 in Dybbøl, Denmark, immigrated to the United States with his family in 1894. The Danish inscription, Min Moder, not only commemorates mothers in general but may also refer to the symbolic representation of Denmark as a woman. This symbolism, often referred to as “Mother Denmark,” became prominent during the 19th century Romantic Nationalism Movement, where it came to represent national pride and collective emotion.

Published ReferencesAdvertised in the Robbins Co. catalogue without Min Moder lettering, The Robbins Company formerly the Chas. M. Robbins Co. (parts I-III) n.d. 1912 and after. Catalogue held in the Robbins Co. archives, Attleboro Area Industrial Museum, Attleboro, MA. Papers, SC, Box 4 f.16, letter from Nerney stating he saw this on a visit to Robbins, March 16, 1939 "He Has Carved a Heritage", The Iowan, Vol. 2 No. 3, Feb. - March 1954.

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