Vijftigjarig bestaan van de loge "De Vriendschap" te Soerabaja
1859
Medium
striking (metalworking)
Dimensions
6.2; 62.89
About this artwork
Schenking van mevrouw J.M. van Gelder-Nijhoff
Art Historical Context
This exquisite commemorative medal, titled *Vijftigjarig bestaan van de loge "De Vriendschap" teerabaja* (50th Anniversary of the "De Vriendschap" in Surabaya), marks a milestone in 1859 for a Freemasonic lodge in the Dutch East Indies. Crafted anonymously through the metalworking technique of striking—where a die presses intricate designs into a metal blank—it measures 6.2 cm in diameter and weighs 62.89 grams, typical for such ceremonial tokens. These medals were prized keepsakes, symbolizing fraternity and shared history among members. Surabaya, a bustling port city in colonial Java, hoste...
About the Artist
anonymous
In the vast tapestry of art history, "Anonymous" stands not as a singular individual but as a collective designation for countless unidentified creators whose works have endured across millennia. These artists, spanning prehistoric cave painters to medieval illuminators and folk craftsmen, produced the foundational layers of human visual culture. Prior to the Renaissance, when individual fame emer...