Gedenknaald ter gelegenheid van het huwelijk van Jonas Witsen en Isabella Maria Hooft 1704

Jacobus Schijnvoet created this print of a memorial obelisk for the marriage of Jonas Witsen and Isabella Maria Hooft. Observe the obelisk, a symbol of enduring memory and aspiration that stretches back to ancient Egyptian sun worship, here adorned with wedding iconography. Note the garlands of foliage interwoven with hearts, framing the central monument, which carry ancient associations with nature, growth, and the cyclical renewal of life. This echoes pagan traditions and is here recontextualized for marital union. The hearts link to the universal language of affection, evoking classical portrayals of Eros and Psyche, where love is a potent, sometimes irrational force. These emblems of the heart, vital and throbbing with life, connect the marriage to a wider, timeless narrative. It’s a cyclical progression, with symbols resurfacing and evolving across time.