Latvia's central bank, Latvijas Banka, plans to release a commemorative coin honoring artist Džemma Skulme.
A Tribute to Dzemma Skulme: A Cultural Icon of Latvia
In 2025, the Bank of Latvia honoured the legacy of renowned artist Dzemma Skulme by issuing a silver collector coin, a testament to her profound impact on Latvian art and cultural life.
Born in 1925, Skulme was the daughter of painter Oto Skulme and sculptor Marta Skulme, and grew up immersed in the rich artistic traditions of her homeland. Her artistic journey began during the interwar modernism era, and she continued to make her mark even during the socialist realism period, blending national motifs into her work from the 1960s onwards[1][3][4][5].
The triad of figures - the folk maiden, the caryatid, and the princess - became a core part of Skulme's artistic identity. These figures, emblematic of Latvian cultural heritage, were used as powerful symbols of national pride and spiritual resistance, serving as a form of civic stance during politically constrained times[1].
Skulme's influence extends beyond her artworks, as she helped preserve and elevate Latvian national consciousness through her creations. The silver collector coin "Džemma," featuring a graphic design inspired by her distinctive brushstroke, signifies her unique "fingerprint" on Latvian artistic and cultural landscapes[1][3][4][5]. The coin, with a matte finish and relief background, will be available for purchase on e-monetas.lv/en from 12:00 (noon) on August 21[2].
Juris Petraškevičs was responsible for the coin's design, which also includes a facsimile of Skulme's signature. The coin, with a face value of 5 euro, weighs 27.00 g and measures 45.00 mm x 28.00 mm[2].
Since 1993, Latvijas Banka has issued 98 lats collector coins and 61 euro collector coins, with the designs receiving international recognition and numerous prestigious awards[6]. The coin featuring Skulme's work is part of this illustrious series, commemorating a cultural icon who played a pivotal role in shaping Latvia's artistic and cultural heritage.
Skulme's oeuvre, which encompasses painting and graphic art, is featured in notable exhibitions such as "Reflections of the Era," underscoring her place in 20th-century Latvian art history and her contribution to cultural dialogue[2].
In summary, Dzemma Skulme's significance lies in her artistic innovation, her integration of Latvian national symbolism, and her role as a cultural preserver and innovator during a complex political era, making her a towering figure in Latvia’s artistic and cultural heritage.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dzемма_Skulme [2] https://www.bank.lv/en/news/2025-08-18/silver-collector-coin-dzemma-will-be-issued [3] https://www.latvijasbanka.lv/en/news/2025-08-18/silver-collector-coin-dzemma-will-be-issued [4] https://www.e-monetas.lv/en/news/2025-08-18/silver-collector-coin-dzemma-will-be-issued [5] https://www.lsm.lv/articles/2025/08/18/tribute-to-dzemma-skulme-in-a-silver-coin/ [6] https://www.bank.lv/en/collector-coins
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