Monument voor Hendrik Danielsz. Hooft, 1794 1794

Hermanus Fock created this monument to Hendrik Danielsz. Hooft in 1794. The print shows symbols of civic virtue, loss, and remembrance. Note the figure of Amsterdam personified, leaning against the city's coat of arms, her head veiled in sorrow, a motif that echoes across centuries, from ancient Roman mourning figures to contemporary memorials. Similarly, the cherubic figures ascending towards the heavens remind us of the soul's ascent in Christian iconography. Yet, here, they carry the symbols of Hooft’s office, merging earthly duty with divine ascension. The scales of justice lie discarded, a powerful metaphor for the perceived loss of equity with Hooft’s passing. Such symbols tap into a deep well of collective memory, evoking not just grief but also a yearning for a just world. These aren't mere illustrations but potent cultural symbols, resurrected and reinterpreted. This eternal return of images links us to the past, stirring emotions tied to loss, justice, and the hope for transcendence.