Portret van Witte Cornelisz. de With 1866 - 1868

This engraving portrays Witte Cornelisz. de With, capturing the symbols of his station and the spirit of his age. The elaborate collar and the pendant, likely signifying membership in an order or society, speaks of status and allegiance. Consider how such emblems echo across time. In medieval heraldry, the symbols on a knight's shield communicated lineage and valor. Similarly, the modern-day corporate logo, a signifier of identity and values. These motifs, like the gestures in ancient Greek drama, are carriers of meaning. They reappear, transformed yet familiar, throughout the theater of history. The portrait's formality and the subject’s composed expression are not merely reflections of individual character but also cultural performances. They engage us on a deeply subconscious level, evoking a sense of continuity, of echoes of the past resonating in the present. This is the cyclical journey of symbols, constantly resurfacing.