N.M. de Ligt, gedeputeerd meester van de vrijmetselaarsloge "De Drie Kolommen" te Rotterdam 1853

This undated medal commemorates N.M. de Ligt, a deputy master of the Rotterdam Freemasons' lodge "The Three Columns." Crafted in bronze, its circular form is divided into two distinct sides, each bearing symbolic weight. One side features a skull and crossbones, an age-old memento mori. The formal arrangement—the precise angle of the skull, the crossing of the bones—lends a certain solemnity, yet it is not without a sense of theatricality. On the reverse, inscribed text identifies the lodge and individual, anchoring the memento within a specific social and historical context. The medal’s circular shape binds these disparate elements, creating a self-contained system of signs. Each sign—skull, text, even the bronze itself—contributes to a complex reading. Ultimately, this medal functions as both a personal tribute and a public declaration of allegiance, destabilizing the boundary between private and public spheres.