Portret van Sebastiaan I van Portugal 1750

This is Jan Punt’s 18th-century engraving of Sebastian I, King of Portugal. Look at the king's armor, a symbol steeped in history. It's not merely protection; it represents power, duty, and the readiness to defend one's realm. We see armor throughout history, such as in ancient Greek sculptures of warriors or Renaissance portraits of knights. Armor transforms from practical battle gear to an emblem of status and virtue. The weight of the metal, once a necessity for survival, becomes a symbolic burden of leadership. This portrait evokes a psychological connection to our collective memory of kings and heroes, of battles fought and lands defended. It calls upon us to remember, to consider the cyclical nature of power, and to contemplate how symbols evolve through time, yet continue to resonate with primal human emotions and aspirations.