Titelpagina voor: 'Hedendaagsche Historie van Jenghiz Khan's opvolgers in Tartarije, deel 5', 1767 1767

This title page by Reinier Vinkeles, made in 1767, introduces a history of Genghis Khan's successors in Tartary. Seated on a throne is a crowned woman, perhaps an allegorical figure of Justice or History, holding a quill as if to inscribe the annals of time itself. Notice the figures surrounding her: each carries symbolic weight. To the left, we see figures in what seems to be Ottoman dress. Further to the right, a man with the snake entwined around a staff, a clear symbol of Mercury, god of commerce and communication. The appearance of Mercury is particularly striking, and reappears in various forms across time, from ancient Greece to Renaissance paintings and beyond, often representing diplomacy and negotiation. These symbols are not static, but are constantly being reinterpreted. They reflect our collective unconscious, a kind of shared memory that influences how we see and understand the world. These figures provoke a deep emotional response, drawing us into the complex interplay between past and present.