Truly historical

The 19th century was a time where nationalism was flourishing, a time where a general admiration for the period where the Netherlands become a sovereign nation became more and more widespread. There was a deep yearning for this glorious ‘Golden Age’ - when the Netherlands ruled the world, and were the world’s leaders in terms of art and economics. The illustrious deeds that made that world leadership possible, with Leiden’s Liberation being one of them, were taught in schools across the nation in order to bring unity to the young kingdom.

In the ‘jubilee year’ of 1874, the third centennial commemoration of Leiden’s Liberation was celebrated exuberantly. Also, the Lakenhal Museum opened its doors to the public for the first time during that period. It’s very well possible that this coconut goblet dates from that very jubilee year, and served as a piece in memory and recreation of a glorious past. The battle against and liberation from Spain were glorified, and it was important to get as close to the actual past as possible, in order to relive it.

Especially the wealthy cultural - and, patriotic - elite celebrated and commemorated heroic historical events: in men’s societies, in tea salons, or at home. At their command, antiquities were collected or recreated in the spirit of the past. These objects made the glorious past tangible. Our coconut goblet could be very well have served as a typical example of these patriotic sentiments. The origin certificate that the seller provided says that goblet was owned by the Rotterdam-based De Monchy family in the 19th century. Did the offspring of this family of noble origin celebrate the anniversary of Leiden’s Liberation on October 3rd by commissioning this goblet? The details on the cup would certainly have added to the proud sentiments regarding their heroic forefathers and beloved motherland.

The fact that the silversmith and woodcarver succeeded in bringing the past back to life with this goblet, is further proven by the enormous amount of money the Lakenhal Museum was willing to pay for it. When the museum director saw the piece on an antiques convention in Delft, he was so struck by it that he was under the assumption he had just purchased a coconut goblet from shortly after 1574. Soon, however, he would discover he’d been misled. And yet, the coconut goblet could not have picked a better place to live than Leiden. It serves as a symbol for the celebration of the Occupation and Liberation of 1574, the greatest local folk celebration of the Netherlands, that ensures a unique national position for Leiden. For nowhere else in the country is there a commemoration of historical fact and creation history that is celebrated as intensely, and as full of romantic imagination.