Sertorio Caputo voor de heilige Drieënheid 1643 - 1650

Cornelis Bloemaert created this print, "Sertorio Caputo before the Holy Trinity," sometime in the 17th century. It is rich in symbols. We see the Holy Trinity—God, Jesus with his cross, and the Holy Spirit as a dove—enthroned above Sertorio Caputo. God is bestowing blessings, visually represented by the bundle of wheat, a symbol of divine grace and abundance. This motif of blessing through an object appears across cultures. Think of the ancient Egyptian pharaohs receiving the ankh, a symbol of life, from the gods. Over time, the symbol of the bundle of wheat shifts; from representing earthly abundance to spiritual grace. This evolution reflects a collective need to visualize and grasp intangible concepts like divine favor. The act of bestowing blessings touches upon profound psychological themes—the desire for protection, validation, and the reassurance of a higher power. It speaks to the deep-seated human need for connection to something beyond ourselves. This image reminds us how symbols are vessels that carry meaning, constantly evolving, and echoing through time.