Portret van Peter Meiderlin 1590 - 1635

Lucas Kilian’s portrait of Peter Meiderlin captures the sitter within an oval frame. The ruff collar, a circle of pleated linen, signals status and formality. Throughout history, the circle has been a potent symbol, representing wholeness, eternity, and the self. We see it echoed in halos of saints, crowns of rulers, and even rings exchanging vows. Here, the ruff encircles the face, drawing attention to Meiderlin’s gaze. The gaze is intense, a Renaissance motif that calls to mind the power of observation and introspection. It's a silent challenge carried over from ancient Roman portraiture. Consider how these elements—the circle, the gaze— resurface across art history, evolving from sacred symbols to assertions of individual presence and psychological depth. It is through this visual language, passed down and transformed, that Kilian's portrait speaks, connecting us to centuries of cultural memory.