Portret van Cornelius Schrevelius 1623 - 1668

This engraving portrays Cornelius Schrevelius, a doctor of medicine and headmaster in Leiden, created by Reinier van Persijn in the 17th century. Look closely at the gesture of the hand, clutching what appears to be a rosary, or perhaps a string of prayer beads. This seemingly simple object carries echoes of ancient practices. In antiquity, beads were used for counting and record-keeping, gradually evolving into tools for spiritual contemplation. Consider the worry beads of ancient Greece, or the Buddhist mala. Across cultures and epochs, the act of fingering beads becomes a tactile meditation, a way to anchor the mind and connect with the divine. The reappearance of this gesture throughout history is no mere coincidence. It speaks to a deep-seated human need for solace, for rhythm, for a tangible link to something greater than ourselves. The emotional power lies in its capacity to evoke feelings of peace, reflection, and connection. This symbol echoes through time, transformed yet resonant, reflecting the cyclical nature of human experience.