Portretbuste van Penthesilea Amazon 1510 - 1562

This is an anonymous engraving of Penthesilea, queen of the Amazons. She is depicted in profile, wearing an ornate helmet, the most striking symbol in this image. The helmet serves as a marker of both protection and authority. The helmet echoes the classical Greek helmet. The symbolic power of the helmet is non-linear; we see it in the warrior Athena, and, diverging in time and intention, yet conceptually related, in the war helmets donned in the World Wars. Each reflects the psychological need to protect the self, physically and psychologically, and the projection of power, of authority. Here, Penthesilea's helmet does not merely shield her head, but embodies the weight of leadership and the burden of expectation. It is an emblem that, through cultural memory, links her to a lineage of leaders who have faced the trials of authority. The helmet carries a profound emotional charge, sparking a sense of deep-seated memory and recognition in viewers across time.