Zittende man met een pet en mes in de hand 1839 - 1872

This drawing by Johannes Tavenraat features a seated man holding a knife. The knife, a symbol laden with potential for both creation and destruction, speaks to humanity’s fraught relationship with power. Consider the knife alongside the laurel wreath of ancient Greece, emblems of victory and honor, yet also instruments of sacrifice. This duality echoes through time, reappearing in Renaissance depictions of Judith wielding the sword that liberated her people. The knife here is not merely a tool but a glyph, a signifier of intent and capability. It stirs deep within us, sparking primal fears and subconscious associations with survival and conflict. The presence of the knife is a testament to the enduring, cyclical nature of symbols, how they resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings, perpetually engaging us in a dialogue between the past and the present.