Portret van Gijsbertus Martinus Cort Heyligers 1818 - 1876

Carel Christiaan Antony Last created this portrait of Gijsbertus Martinus Cort Heyligers using lithography. Note the proliferation of crosses adorning Heyligers's chest. The cross, ancient symbol of sacrifice and spiritual transcendence, has been refigured here into a symbol of military and state honor. This transformation echoes through history. Consider the early Christian appropriation of the cross, once a symbol of Roman oppression, now a symbol of redemption. Here, the display of medals carries a psychological weight, communicating power. It invites us to consider how symbols are used to assert authority. What subconscious drives motivate this display? The desire for recognition? The need to project strength? These questions linger. Symbols such as the cross do not evolve in a linear fashion; instead they loop, resurface, and transform across time.