Portret van Adriaan Pietersz. Loosjes 1796

This is Reinier Vinkeles's portrait of Adriaan Pietersz. Loosjes, captured in ink on paper. The portrait presents a somber gentleman, but it's the oval frame that holds him that captures my attention. The oval, a symbol stretching back to ancient times, evokes the eye of the beholder, a window into the soul. It is a motif echoed across centuries, in ancient Roman cameos, Renaissance portraiture, and even early photography. Think of the Renaissance masters, framing their subjects within architectural ovals, mimicking the shape of a divine halo. The power of the oval lies in its ability to suggest enclosure and focus, much like the mind honing in on a thought. It speaks to our collective fascination with capturing and containing essence, a desire to hold onto fleeting moments and enduring truths. This emblem, looping through time, reveals our enduring quest to comprehend the human spirit.