Portret van een geestelijke

Pieter Fransz. de Grebber rendered this small portrait of a clergyman using etching. The stark white collar set against the dark robe is visually arresting. The clergy collar, a symbol of devotion and service to God, has its roots in the monastic traditions of the early Church. Yet, the collar’s rigid geometry is also reminiscent of the ruffs worn by the elite in the preceding century. The ruff, initially a symbol of status, became so exaggerated that it was often seen as a symbol of vanity and excess. The subconscious mind may recognize the evolution of this motif, from religious humility to secular pride, and perhaps back again. Here we see, once again, how symbols and motifs never truly disappear. They are continuously reborn, their meanings twisting and turning.