Rytter med kølle, vendt mod højre 1594

This small engraving by Martin Pleginck shows a knight brandishing a club, mounted on a rearing horse. The image recalls the medieval symbol of the miles christians, the Christian knight, and the iconography of the equestrian ruler. The rearing horse— a symbol of power, control, and virility— echoes classical depictions of emperors on horseback. We see this pose repeated through centuries, from ancient Roman statues to Renaissance paintings. Even the knight's club, a seemingly crude weapon, carries echoes of the hero Hercules and his legendary strength. Such symbols never truly disappear. They resurface, transformed, in new contexts, carrying layers of accumulated meaning. Here, the rearing horse and the knight's commanding gesture tap into a primal desire for leadership and control, resonating deeply within our collective psyche. The image reminds us that history is not linear; rather, it is a continuous, cyclical process of remembering, adapting, and transforming.