Boom met Thomas van Aquino 1590

This engraving, "Tree with Thomas Aquinas," presents a visual compendium of theological knowledge as a genealogical tree. The tree, laden with names in circular medallions, symbolizes the lineage of ideas stemming from Thomas Aquinas. Consider the crucifix integrated within the tree's trunk, a potent symbol of sacrifice and redemption, harking back to the cross as the Arbor Vitae, the Tree of Life. This imagery finds echoes in earlier Christian art, where the cross is depicted sprouting leaves, illustrating the theme of resurrection and spiritual renewal. The tree as a symbol of knowledge and lineage is ancient. We see it in the Tree of Jesse, tracing Christ's ancestry, and even earlier in mythological depictions of world trees connecting different realms. These symbols tap into a collective yearning for order and understanding, with the tree providing a visual framework for complex systems of thought. Here, the image engages the viewer on a subconscious level, prompting reflection on the nature of knowledge and its transmission across generations. The persistence of the tree motif throughout history shows its cyclical recurrence, continually reshaped yet eternally rooted in our shared cultural psyche.