Portret van Charles Fortuné van der Brugghen, in uniform 1836

This drawing portrays Charles Fortuné van der Brugghen in uniform, crafted by Louis Meijer. Dominating the portrait are the military epaulettes, symbols of rank and honor. These shoulder ornaments can be traced back to ancient armors; they later morphed into decorative—yet deeply symbolic—elements during the rise of standing armies in Europe. One finds echoes of these symbols across time, adorning the shoulders of Roman centurions, medieval knights, and now, this 19th-century officer. Their meaning is not linear; each era imbues them with new cultural weight. Consider how such symbols resonate within the collective psyche. The epaulette, beyond its martial function, taps into primal instincts, evoking feelings of protection and authority. These are archetypes rooted in our subconscious, recurring motifs in the grand tapestry of human expression. We see how symbols resurface, evolve, and are perpetually reinterpreted, their meanings shifting across the epochs.