Portret van Caspar Stieler 1673

This is a portrait of Caspar Stieler, captured in ink by Cornelis Nicolaus Schurtz. Note the elaborate frame festooned with ripe fruit and the stylized thistle at the bottom, labeled "Die Späte." The thistle, often a symbol of resilience and pain, takes on a unique dimension here. Its presence reminds me of similar motifs across cultures, like the thorny acanthus leaves found in classical architecture, or the medieval memento mori images where thistles evoke mortality. Consider how the prickly nature of the thistle might be linked to the concept of delayed reward, suggesting that true success, or "die Späte," comes after enduring difficulty and struggle. This echoes the psychological notion of delayed gratification. Such symbols tap into our collective subconscious, engaging us on an emotional level. Like an ancient script continually rewritten, this symbol reappears, transformed yet still echoing its origins. The journey of the thistle, from a symbol of suffering to one of hope, illustrates the ever-evolving narrative of human experience.