Paleis Soestdijk van voren gezien 1695

This print depicts Paleis Soestdijk, made by an anonymous artist. Observe how the palace rises symmetrically, its ordered windows and balanced wings echoing the Enlightenment's fascination with reason. Yet, this architectural emblem is more than mere stone and mortar; it's a stage upon which social rituals unfold, a theatre where the elite stroll, shadowed by their canine companions. Consider the dog: throughout history, it has symbolized fidelity, but here, amidst the opulence, does it not also hint at the leashed desires, the tamed instincts underpinning this ordered world? This symbol travels through time and space, reappearing in different contexts, like ancient Egyptian art, where dogs were guardians of the dead. Such recurring motifs reflect a collective memory, a shared human experience that surfaces in unexpected ways. It reminds us that history is not a linear march but a spiral, with symbols and ideas constantly returning, transformed, and imbued with new meanings.