Ontwerp voor een monument bij het herstel van de oude constitutie te Amsterdam, 1787 1787 - 1788

This is a sketch for a monument made in Amsterdam in 1787, commemorating the restoration of the old constitution. Note the obelisk form, laden with symbols of power and civic virtue. At the base, we see a coat of arms wreathed in laurel, signifying victory and honor—an icon dating back to ancient Greece. Above, a statue of a regal figure evokes classical authority and the continuity of governance. Further up, a series of emblems, each suspended like a jewel, suggests the precious and delicate nature of constitutional order. Consider how the image of the obelisk itself—a form borrowed from the Egyptians by the Romans—has traveled through time, each culture imbuing it with new layers of meaning. Here, it serves as a pillar of stability, yet also a reminder of past triumphs, a collective memory made manifest in stone. It speaks to our deepest longing for order amidst chaos. A longing that echoes through the ages, resurfacing in times of political upheaval.