Portret van René Descartes 1666 - 1707

Gérard Edelinck engraved this portrait of René Descartes. Observe Descartes's composed demeanor within the oval frame. His gaze is steady, almost confronting the viewer. The oval, since antiquity, has symbolized the cycle of life and rebirth. It’s a shape echoed in the halo and the mandorla, a visual device used to frame sacred figures, and in the Renaissance it was a symbol of humanism and intellectual exploration. Note the inscription on the pedestal: "Bene qui latuit, bene vixit," or "He lives well who lives well hidden". It's a motto, not just about physical withdrawal, but perhaps also about safeguarding one’s inner life and thoughts. This notion of concealment contrasts with Descartes' profound impact on philosophical thought. Consider, then, how symbols are vessels of memory, their meanings shifting through time, echoing in our subconscious. The act of looking at this portrait today, are we not also engaging in a timeless dialogue about the very nature of existence?