From a Thankful Nation: Latin American Medals and Orders from the Robert L. Ross Collection at Princeton University
«To commemorate the bicentennial of the beginning of the movements toward independence in Latin America, the Numismatic Collection is displaying selections from the definitive collection of medals and orders of Spanish, Portuguese and French speaking Latin America, all donated in the course of the past few years by Robert L. Ross»
The exhibition is accompanied by a catalogue of over 700 pages with 969 color photographs (available for $125 from loliveir@princeton.edu) and a fully illustrated website: http://rbsc.princeton.edu/thankful-nation/
From February 22, 2014 through August 3, 2014
«This exhibition of Latin American orders and medals from the Robert L. Ross Collection at Princeton University spans the two centuries from the rise of movements for political independence through to the present. It includes the Spanish religious-military orders that had their origin in the Crusades and the Reconquista, the first medals issued in colonial Latin America, the many decorations awarded during the nineteenth century, and a new generation of twentieth-century republican orders for diplomatic, military, political, and cultural achievements.
The medals on display were awarded for service in regional wars, internal insurgencies, and foreign invasions. By contrast, the orders illustrate the desire of Latin American governments to promote diplomatic and political goals and to create a national identity and culture in a region where language, religion, and laws derived from a common colonial heritage».
