Salon op de eerste verdieping van Hotel Merghelynck in Ieper, België before 1894

This photograph captures the salon on the first floor of Hotel Merghelynck in Ieper, Belgium. Note the prominent medallions adorning the walls. These circular reliefs, often bearing portraits, speak to a lineage stretching back to ancient Rome, where they symbolized honor and remembrance. The Roman emperors were keen to perpetuate their image through coinage, engravings, and sculptures that were easy to reproduce. Later, during the Renaissance, the medallion was revived as a way for individuals to associate themselves with classical virtues and immortalize their achievements. Here, they serve as a deliberate echo of past glories, a connection to an era of perceived order and prestige. This revival is not merely aesthetic; it is a conscious attempt to harness the psychological weight of history. The medallions' presence hints at a yearning for stability and permanence amidst the ever-changing currents of time. It is an exercise in cultural memory. As these symbols re-emerge, they reflect a complex interplay between nostalgia and reinvention.