Titelpagina voor de Hollandsche Mercurius voor het jaar 1669 1670

This title page for the Hollandsche Mercurius of 1669 was etched by Romeyn de Hooghe. Here, classical allegories abound, most notably the figures of Holland and Mercury. The figure of Holland, armed for battle, clasps hands with Mercury, the messenger god, his caduceus prominent, signifying commerce and negotiation. The joining of hands—*dextrarum iunctio*—is an ancient Roman motif. It was used to seal alliances, oaths, and treaties. It also reappears in funerary art as a symbol of farewell, gesturing a bond between the living and the dead. The presence of *dextrarum iunctio* here suggests a desire for harmony and balance, perhaps reflecting the political and economic interests of the Dutch Republic. We see this recurring motif used in different times, as a subconscious desire to connect across different realms, emphasizing the emotional power and psychological depth that visual symbols can hold, inviting us to contemplate the cyclical nature of history.