Maria de Witte Françoisdr (b 1616). Wife of Johan van Beaumont 1661

Jan Mijtens painted this portrait of Maria de Witte around the 17th century. Maria is holding a sprig of flowers. A seemingly simple gesture, yet this action is laden with meaning. The act of holding flowers has deep roots in cultural memory, symbolizing fertility, love, and the ephemeral nature of life. We see echoes of this motif in Botticelli’s Primavera, where Flora scatters blossoms, and even in ancient Greek rituals honoring Persephone, the goddess of springtime. But consider, too, the vanitas paintings, where wilting flowers serve as a memento mori, a reminder of our mortality. Does Maria's gesture hint at a personal story, a subtle commentary on her life and times? Perhaps it speaks to the subconscious anxieties surrounding life, death, and legacy. This symbol reminds us that images are never truly new; they are constantly evolving, imbued with layers of meaning accumulated over centuries.