Apollo met lauwerkrans op een wagen 1530

This engraving by Jacob Binck depicts Apollo, adorned with a laurel wreath, riding a chariot. The laurel wreath is a powerful symbol, deeply rooted in antiquity, signifying triumph, honor, and divine status. In ancient Greece, victors in the Pythian Games, dedicated to Apollo, were crowned with laurel. We see echoes of this tradition across time, from Roman emperors to Renaissance poets, each donning laurel as an emblem of their achievements. Note how Apollo holds the caduceus, a staff entwined with serpents, a symbol of commerce and negotiation, adapted from Hermes. Consider, too, how the image of Apollo, wreathed in laurel, can be seen as a potent expression of humanity’s eternal striving for excellence. This symbol has resurfaced, evolved, and taken on new meanings in different historical contexts, yet its underlying message remains a constant thread in the tapestry of human culture.