Beronicius op de Parnassus gekroond door Apollo 1766

This engraving, made by Simon Fokke in the 18th century, depicts Beronicius being crowned by Apollo on Mount Parnassus. Here, the laurel wreath is more than a simple decoration; it’s an emblem of triumph and eternal glory. The act of crowning immortalizes Beronicius, echoing ancient Roman traditions where wreaths celebrated military and athletic victories. Consider, though, how this motif migrates through time. In medieval tapestries, the crown signifies divine authority, yet in Renaissance portraits, it denotes intellectual or artistic achievement. The wreath carries the weight of centuries, each culture layering new significance onto its circular form. The wreath is a ‘memory engram’, a visual cue that stirs something primal within us. It reminds us of our collective longing for recognition and our subconscious awareness of the cyclical nature of history, where symbols are continuously resurrected and repurposed.