European Medals from 1513 to 1788
Netherlands, The Dutch Republic. Amsterdam . Plaquettepenning (Silver, 73x66mm, 96.20 g 12), Memento mori for Cornelia de Cerff, died 16 March 1683, by Wouter Muller, with his two silver marks on the edge, 1683. A female corpse, wrapped in a winding sheet, lying on the lid of of a sarcophagus, which is supported by two putti flanking a cartouche bearing the inscription: Saligh fijn de doode die in den / Heere Sterven van nu aen Ja fegt/ de Geest op dat fij rusten mo/ghen van haren arbeit/ Apoc.17.Cap. (= blessed are the dead who believe in the Lord for they will rest from their labor ); above, two flying putti supporting a ribbon with the inscription: gebooren 5 Maart 1661 geftorven 16 Maart 1683 (= born 5 March 1661, died 16 March 1683 ). Rev. Two skeletons, the one on the left holding a scythe and that on the right holding a lowered torch, supporting a large cartouche on which a putto sits, blowing bubbles; on the cartouche: Wat ramp rooft onverwagt / De bloem van Cerffs geslagt / Cornelia het leven, / In Schoonheyd so verheven, / als God dees lente blom / trok in fijn Heyligdom. / Haar geest vloog opwarts hené / En liet ons droevig wenen. (= an unexpected disaster stole the life of Cornelia, the flower of Cerff’s family, her beauty was elevated when God took this spring flower into His sanctuary. Her spirit went upwards leaving us to weep in sadness ); below, in a small cartouche, Gendeckt te / Sterven (= remember the decedent ). Bemolt Suppl. 375A /type F31/32, this piece ). Frederiks 20/20a and figs. 155/156 var. ( same obverse and reverse but with different inscriptions ). Extremely rare. Very attractively toned and with the usual blow-hole on the edge. Extremely fine. Cornelia de Cerff was the daughter of Hans de Cerff (Frankenthal in Pfalz 1615-1690, Amsterdam) and Lijsbeth van Emden (Bruges 1621-1697, Amsterdam).