Portret van de schilder Ignatius Josephus Van Regemorter, halffiguur 1861

This is a photograph by Joseph Dupont, portraying the painter Ignatius Josephus Van Regemorter. The sitter holds a cigar in his hand, a symbol that carries with it the scent of social rituals. From the Mayan priests using tobacco in sacred ceremonies to the pipe-smoking philosophers of the Enlightenment, the act of smoking has long been associated with contemplation and community. Think of the Dutch Masters, gathered, pipes in hand, discussing the nature of light and form. This gesture, the holding of the cigar, is reminiscent of the scepter held by kings or the staff of a bishop, now transformed into a tool for the modern man. Note, too, the dark coat and the pristine white of his shirt; these sartorial choices echo those found in portraits across centuries. The image touches something deep within us, a primal connection to past lives and shared experiences. It shows how symbols evolve, carrying echoes of bygone eras into our present.