Doctor Syntax vertrekt op zijn paard uit het dorp 1820 - 1821

Thomas Rowlandson created this print, "Doctor Syntax vertrekt op zijn paard uit het dorp," utilizing etching. The central motif is the departure of Doctor Syntax, an archetype of the wandering scholar, bidding farewell to his village. Observe how Syntax, astride his horse, extends his hand in a gesture that echoes the ancient motif of 'adventus,' or the ceremonial welcome or departure of a dignitary. This gesture, reaching back to Roman imperial imagery, signifies not just a farewell but also the commencement of a journey fraught with symbolic weight. We find echoes of this in religious art; think of Christ's ascension, a departure imbued with spiritual promise. It resurfaces, transformed, in secular contexts, reminding us of the cyclical nature of symbols. The village, with its church steeple, represents the stable, known world, while Syntax ventures into the unknown, embodying both adventure and folly. The image, thus, engages us on a deep level, tapping into our collective memories.