De Eendracht 1747

Louis Fabritius Dubourg created this drawing, named "De Eendracht", meaning "The Unity", using pen in gray ink and brush in gray wash. Here, we see a maiden, the embodiment of unity, clutching a bundle of arrows. Individually, a single arrow snaps easily, but bound together, their strength is formidable. This visual metaphor, originating in Aesop's fables, has been a symbol of concord and collective strength since antiquity. Now, consider the image's emotional resonance. Her hand pressed to her chest, she evokes feelings of solemn resolve. This motif echoes through time, much like the "concordia" seen in Roman coins showing clasped hands, or the Renaissance allegories of peace with their unifying gestures. The arrows of unity and concord are never fully stilled, recurring through the ages. The image reminds us that in the theater of human history, certain symbols and emotions endlessly reappear, are re-enacted, and are imbued with renewed vitality.