Portret van Hendrik Tollens 1821 - 1836

Hendricus Johannes Dieben created this portrait of Hendrik Tollens using lithography. The most striking symbol here is the medal worn by Tollens, a marker of honor. Medals, like ancient laurel wreaths or royal insignias, are meant to immortalize the achievements of the wearer, rooting them in the collective memory of society. Consider how such symbols evolved from simple tokens to complex emblems of state, each design element laden with meaning. The cross shape on the medal can be found across cultures, from ancient cosmological symbols to Christian iconography, each imbued with ideas of sacrifice, balance, and connectivity. These emblems touch something deep within us, a primal recognition of shared human experience. The impulse to bestow honor, to remember, is a profound psychological force that has shaped art and society for millennia. As these symbols resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings in different historical contexts, they show us the non-linear, cyclical progression of cultural symbols.