Portret van Thomas Killigrew 1662 - 1721

This portrait of Thomas Killigrew, made by Jan van der Vaart, presents us with a striking figure and a symbolic object. Killigrew holds a sword across his body, a potent symbol of power, authority, and justice. The sword, as a symbol, appears across millennia, from ancient Egyptian depictions of pharaohs wielding curved swords to Renaissance portrayals of knights with shining blades. It embodies not just physical might but also moral strength, echoing in the collective memory as an emblem of defense and righteousness. Consider, though, how the sword’s meaning shifts. Once a straightforward symbol of martial power, it evolves to represent honor, nobility, and even sacrifice. Its recurring presence taps into our primal understanding of protection and control, yet its interpretation is always filtered through the cultural lens of the time. This constant shifting is how symbols live and breathe through history, continually altered by the currents of human experience.