Rudolph Willmers 1841

Emil Bærentzen created this print of Rudolph Willmers, now held at the SMK. The most striking element is Willmers’s neckwear. The bow tie, then a recent innovation, speaks of a modernizing world, where the rigid structures of older fashions were loosening. Yet, even in its novelty, the bow tie echoes motifs from the past. Consider the ruffs worn by the Dutch masters, emblems of status and formality, now transformed into something softer and more personal. Or, leap further back, to ancient Rome, where a knotted cloth, the "focale," protected the neck. Here, the bow tie is not merely an accessory but a symbol of transition, a knot that binds the past to the present. It reflects a psychological dance, a balance between tradition and the individual expression bubbling beneath the surface. This bow, then, is not just a piece of fabric, but a silent carrier, evolving in form yet deeply rooted in history.