Knoop bestaande uit een ronde bol met koperen draadoog c. 1590 - 1596

This unassuming button with a round bulb and copper wire loop, residing in the Rijksmuseum, holds more significance than meets the eye. At first glance, it is merely a functional object, yet the button carries profound cultural weight. Consider its shape: the sphere, a universal symbol of wholeness, unity, and the cosmos. Think back to the globus cruciger, an orb representing Christ's dominion over the world in medieval iconography. Now, look at the copper wire, a metal associated with Venus, the goddess of love and beauty, suggesting a connection to themes of affection and adornment. The button, in its simplicity, mirrors the cyclical nature of human experience, a silent witness to the passage of time and the ever-evolving dance between functionality and symbolism. Like an emblem that resurfaces across history, it is a reminder of the beauty in everyday objects.