Portret van Willem III, prins van Oranje 1688 - 1724

Jacob Gole etched this portrait of Willem III, Prince of Orange. Behold the baton he holds, a symbol of command tracing back to the scepters of antiquity. This is more than a mere staff; it's a conduit of power, a visual echo of authority wielded by leaders across epochs. Consider its echo in Roman consular staffs, or even the bishop's crosier, each adapted yet resonating with primal authority. Note how the battlefield scene fades into the background, a nod to his military strength. This element mirrors the tradition of embedding symbols of might within portraits of rulers and warriors. Such imagery stirs deep-seated psychological recognition of leaders as protectors, echoing our ancestral need for security. These symbols speak to something ancient within us, a collective memory of power, leadership, and the cyclical nature of history. They remind us that while faces change, the underlying human narratives of power endure, constantly re-emerging in new forms.