Willem V opgehaald door engelen, 1806 1806

This 1806 print depicts Willem V ascending to heaven, guided by angels. Note the prominent use of angels, winged figures that serve as intermediaries between the earthly and the divine. Such figures carry a powerful cultural resonance, echoing from ancient Greek depictions of Nike, the goddess of victory, to Christian iconography. Consider the angel's trumpet, a symbol not merely of announcement, but of divine intervention. We see echoes of this across time, from biblical narratives of revelation to Renaissance paintings where trumpeting angels herald momentous events. In antiquity, trumpets were blown to announce the beginning of games or the death of a ruler. The beaming light from above evokes a sense of spiritual enlightenment, but also power. This visual language connects to something primal within us, the subconscious association of light with goodness and darkness with malevolence. This opposition has been carried forward through generations. Observe how this imagery surfaces time and again, each time reborn, yet still connected to our deepest, most enduring perceptions.