Portrait of Theodorus Bisdom van Vliet and his Family 1757

Jan Stolker painted this family portrait of Theodorus Bisdom van Vliet and his family with oil on canvas. At the heart of this gathering stands a statue of Neptune, trident in hand, a figure echoing back to ancient Roman power and maritime dominion. Such symbols are not static; consider the trident, seen in antiquity as a mark of the god's authority over the seas. Yet, as time marches on, we find this symbol re-emerging in diverse contexts. Why Neptune here? Perhaps it reflects the family's aspirations. Neptune embodies control over the unpredictable, much like a family patriarch's role. The statue acts as a focal point, but also engages us on a deeper, psychological level. It serves as a subconscious anchor, stirring ancestral memories of power, protection, and the timeless struggle to master our environment. It's a tableau of human ambition set against the backdrop of classical ideals, a perpetual cycle of aspiration and adaptation.