Jonkheer Johan Willem van Vredenburch, dertig jaar grootsecretaris der Grote Loge van Holland 1842

Curator: This is a bronze medal created in 1842 by Johannes Petrus Schouberg, titled "Jonkheer Johan Willem van Vredenburch, dertig jaar grootsecretaris der Grote Loge van Holland.” Editor: It looks like a commemorative coin, almost. There’s a profile portrait on one side, and writing on the other. What do you see in this piece? Curator: The choice of bronze is telling. Bronze, being a readily available and relatively inexpensive material at the time, speaks volumes about the social function of this piece. Medals like these were often cast in multiples, accessible not just to the elite but a broader circle connected to Vredenburch and the Freemasons. Consider also the labor involved – the casting, the engraving. It represents a whole network of skilled artisans. Editor: So it’s less about the subject of the portrait and more about what it represents in terms of social standing and production? Curator: Exactly. While it memorializes Vredenburch, it simultaneously illustrates the power and reach of the Freemasons through a material object circulated amongst their members. Notice how the inscription almost becomes part of the production, a branding if you will, solidifying the Lodge’s identity and perpetuating its narrative. Editor: That's fascinating. I never thought about medals in terms of their social function and means of production. Curator: Think about it – who commissioned this medal? Who profited from its creation? These are critical questions that uncover the underlying material relations. Editor: This changes how I view historical portraiture entirely. It's less about the individual and more about the system that produced it. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure! Now you know to look beneath the surface of the subject matter. Material speaks volumes!