Het vierde kwartier van het wapen van M.A. de Ruyter after 1677

Curator: Here we have what is called “The fourth quarter of the coat of arms of M.A. de Ruyter”. This relief sculpture, which we believe dates to after 1677, commemorates the famed Dutch admiral Michiel de Ruyter. Editor: It feels incredibly sturdy. Almost brutal in its directness. The colours are simple – a rusty red, almost the colour of dried blood, offset with gold, and crowned like a monarch. Quite an intimidating memorial! Curator: Intimidating perhaps, but also celebratory! Consider the visual language. This piece would have been immediately legible to its contemporary audience. Heraldry was, and to an extent remains, deeply codified. The fourth quarter of a coat of arms, in this context, denotes specific honors, achieved by the individual in question. The prominent cannon tells us all we need to know about de Ruyter's particular achievements on the battlefield. Editor: It does, though I find myself strangely drawn to the contrast between the golden cannon, gleaming almost playfully, and the austere background. It reminds me how quickly we can turn heroes into myths, simplifying complicated lives into symbols on a shield. Did de Ruyter ever just want to skip a battle and have a cheese sandwich? Curator: That tension, I think, is very much the point. These commemorative objects aren't just about pure glorification, but also about how a society chooses to remember its key figures, filtering the man through the lens of collective memory and socio-political agenda. Look closer; it's crafted in wood and stoneware, humble materials, really, considering the magnitude of the man’s fame. Editor: Humble perhaps, but lasting! It’s fascinating how objects like this, originally designed to project power, become vulnerable, witnesses to changing tastes and political winds. Even that lovely gold crown atop it now hints at a quiet desperation. It seems to whisper, "Remember this great man! Please?" Curator: Precisely. And the Rijksmuseum provides a crucial function in safeguarding this object to provide a space where these kinds of whispers can still be heard today, ensuring that even those who have long passed can speak to our present concerns. Editor: And perhaps remind us that every hero is also, underneath the gilt and cannon fire, just another person craving a decent cheese sandwich.