MEMENTO MORTUORUM – Remember the Dead: Memorial Medals in the Collection of the Museum of the History of Riga and Navigation

The exhibition “MEMENTO MORTUORUM – Remember the Dead: Memorial Medals in the Collection of the Museum of the History of Riga and Navigation” is on view in the Small Exhibition Hall of the Museum from March 28 until November 2, 2025.

In the exhibition for the first time there is presented a unique group from the museum’s phaleristics collection – memorial medals of the dead. Of the approximately 5,000 medals in the museum’s collection, approximately 200 are dedicated to the memory of the dead. In the exhibition there is displayed the majority of this thematic collection, providing an opportunity to explore and assess the artistic, cultural-historical and cognitive value of the medals.

The medal is a miniature monument that is both a work of art of its time and a unique medium that captures the philosophical ideas and historical events characteristic of the era. Within the small area of ​​the medal the message is conveyed by a depiction of certain events, a portrait, a small amount of text, as well as symbols and allegories.

Remembrance is one of the fundamental community-strengthening elements of any society. Commemorative medals, commemorative tokens and commemorative coins were minted to commemorate the dead. They were part of the funeral tradition and minted shortly after a person’s death or in remembrance of a death. Medals were made of different materials – gold, silver, bronze, etc. – thereby expanding their spread depending on people’s social status or wealth.

On show at the exhibition are 17^th-20^th century works created in the European cultural space that represent commemorative medals dedicated to the élite of different countries – England, Austria, Germany, Poland and other. They were ordered by monarchs, organizations or private individuals. The medals depict both the respective era and views on death, as well as the deeds and most characteristic individual features of the deceased.

Latvia’s cultural space is represented in the exhibition with medals starting from the 17^th century. From the second half of the 18^th century, as the circle of customers expanded, more commemorative medals were minted. They were mostly ordered from mints in German cities, later also in Russia, Denmark and Austria.

Creators of the exhibition: Justine Fišere, Inita Dzelme
Artist: Antra Augustinoviča
Supporter: State Culture Capital Foundation