Fotoreproductie van een prent naar een schilderij van Charlotte Augusta van Wales door Thomas Lawrence before 1873

This is a reproduction of a print after a painting by Thomas Lawrence, depicting Charlotte Augusta of Wales. Here, her raised hand immediately brings to mind the gesture of benediction, seen across centuries in religious iconography. Yet, observe the subtle shift: rather than bestowing a blessing, Charlotte seems to be releasing something—perhaps a bird, as the text suggests. This motif of release is powerful; we see it echo in depictions of Psyche freeing a butterfly, symbolizing the soul's liberation. Consider how the act of releasing, often associated with spiritual freedom or escape from earthly constraints, evolves in this context. The bird, a traditional symbol of the soul, is now being set free by a princess, suggesting a transfer of power or a bestowal of freedom. This resonates with the psychoanalytic idea of transference, where emotions and roles are projected onto others, creating complex webs of meaning. It highlights the cyclical, non-linear progression of symbols, as they resurface and evolve through history.