Passementswerkersgilde van Middelburg, gildepenning met no. 19 1667

Editor: This intriguing bronze guild badge dates back to 1667 and represents the Passementswerkersgilde of Middelburg. The relief images almost resemble coded messages. What symbols stand out to you, and how might we interpret them? Curator: Consider the objects represented. What stories might these objects tell about their creators and the rituals connected to this guild? Do you see connections between them? Editor: Well, the central image looks like a tool – perhaps for creating the decorative trimmings they made? The surrounding shapes...bundles of material, maybe? And the laurel above suggests skill and artistry? Curator: Precisely. Think of the laurel as not just skill but also continuity. What about the texture, the material? Does bronze as a metal have its own set of signifiers and meanings related to craftsmanship and status? How is meaning constructed over time through its use? Editor: That’s a good point – bronze suggests something enduring, not fleeting. A lasting symbol of their profession and guild. The raised relief itself must have taken a great deal of artistry to produce in multiples. Curator: And what of the number 19 on the pin? How could the psychology of belonging manifest itself on such an object? Editor: It could be identification for one member – almost like a medieval membership number connecting a craftsman to a collective! This helps to unravel the secrets of the past using symbolic forms. It’s a little glimpse into the community and artistry of a bygone era. Curator: Exactly, by decoding and interpreting their symbolic weight across time, we keep that visual tradition alive.