Korfbal Possibly 1926 - 1929

Curator: Here we have an interesting piece in the Rijksmuseum’s collection. It’s a relief sculpture titled “Korfbal,” and its creation is placed sometime between 1926 and 1929. Editor: It has a wonderfully somber and dignified mood despite the simple subject of a sports game. It reminds me of ancient Greek friezes in its circular form. The relief almost gives it an understated gravity. Curator: That’s a sharp observation, making the connection to classical antiquity. In my view, we often see this use of figuration in early 20th-century art— a looking back to earlier cultures as a way to explore the figure in new, emotionally charged ways. It’s fascinating that the piece is also a medal or medallion—the hoop allowing it to be worn. Editor: Medals function socially. Sport, even games such as Korfbal with their specific rules and conditions, also carries deep political weight. As an activity, playing games enforces a certain behavioral mode. And of course, the body as displayed in sport and its depictions… it speaks of physical fitness, which always carries moralizing undertones. Curator: And perhaps more practically, these sorts of awards may act to communicate membership to a certain social class and identity, in early twentieth-century Europe. It might serve as a sort of modern day protective amulet, a visualization of success and membership within community. The materiality too... the dark metallic cast creates a lasting impression that it once belonged to someone specific. Editor: Right! You are talking about a physical object imbued with status and privilege. Its dark colour speaks of endurance. And so Korfbal acts as more than just an aestheticized object, rather, it serves as a complex visual text open to constant reassessment within its original environment, which goes so far beyond aesthetic pleasure. Curator: A remarkable testament to how deeply encoded our objects become through practice, through what they represent! Editor: Agreed. I am certainly never going to look at any sports medal the same again.