Nederlands mobilisatiekruis 1938 - 1940

These two Nederlands Mobilisatiekruis medals consist of ribbons and metal crosses, each embodying distinct visual and symbolic structures. The vertical orientation and striped patterns create a visual rhythm disrupted by the metallic elements affixed to them. The color contrast—purple and orange on one, green and yellow on the other—is designed to catch the eye. The crosses challenge conventional notions of religious iconography. Instead, they integrate militaristic symbols: swords, helmets, and portraits. This juxtaposition merges notions of duty, sacrifice, and national identity. The medals' design reflects an attempt to forge a new symbolic order, one where martial values are elevated and enshrined. The medals’ materiality—the worn fabric and tarnished metal—reveals the history of its function, perhaps destabilizing established meanings of heroism. The medals ask us to consider how such objects create and reinforce ideological structures through their design.