Componisten c. 1799

This print presents a mountain of composer portraits, reaching towards divine cherubs, their sacred book opened to the heavens. The mountain motif, reaching towards enlightenment, finds echoes throughout history; from Mount Olympus, home of the Greek gods, to the symbolic mountains in Buddhist art representing spiritual ascent. Notice how these composers are presented in portrait medallions, a format echoing Roman imperial portraiture. This intentional connection elevates these composers, associating them with the power and prestige of the Roman emperors. Yet, here, the figures are artists, not emperors, suggesting a new kind of cultural hero worship is at play. Consider the cherubs at the summit, offering their book. We can see them in countless religious paintings throughout the ages. They remind us of the persistent human need to bridge the earthly and the divine. The act of elevating composers in this way, suggests that through music we, too, may reach a higher state of being. This artwork reminds us that symbols and artistic motifs are not static, but cyclical, constantly resurfacing, evolving, and taking on new meanings in different eras.