Vijfentwintigjarig bestaan van de vrijmetselaarsloge La Vertu te Leiden 1783

This medal was made by Johannes Josephus van Baerll to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the masonic lodge La Vertu in Leiden. We see a figure of Virtue, staff in hand, standing next to an altar, which is inscribed with the number 25 in roman numerals. Produced in the Netherlands, the medal reflects the cultural milieu of the late 18th century, a period marked by the Enlightenment and the rise of fraternal societies like the Freemasons. These groups often advocated for reason, progress, and a more egalitarian social order, challenging the established norms of the time. The Latin inscription on the reverse, emphasizing fraternal love and virtue, encapsulates the lodge's ideals. To fully understand this object, a historian might consult masonic records, period publications, and cultural histories of the Enlightenment, so that we may better understand the medal as a product of its time, reflecting the shifting social and intellectual landscape.