Sleutel c. 1590 - 1596

This iron key, an unornamented, aged artifact, speaks volumes despite its humble form. The key is an ancient symbol, an emblem of power, authority, and access to secrets. Keys appear throughout history, from the hands of Janus, the Roman god of doorways and beginnings, to the heraldry of noble families, signifying control over domains both literal and metaphorical. In Christian iconography, Saint Peter holds the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven, an embodiment of divine authority. Even in our modern subconscious, the key retains its powerful symbolism. Psychoanalysts, such as Freud, have explored it as a symbol of unlocking the unconscious mind. It is the power to reveal what is hidden; keys engage our deepest desires and fears about the unknown. The key as an image is not linear but cyclical, its significance resurfacing and evolving with each turn of history.