Zonnewijzer uit Batavia 1759

This sundial, crafted by P.F. Bongaerts in Batavia in 1759, presents us with a face of the sun, an ancient symbol of life-giving power and the passage of time. This depiction echoes the classical god Helios, whose daily journey across the sky was a fundamental cosmic event. The sun's face, with its simple yet expressive features, reminds us of similar solar deities found across cultures, from the Egyptian Ra to the Aztec Tonatiuh. The face is a primal image, tapping into our collective memory of the sun as a source of warmth and order. This symbol is not static, it transforms. The sun's face may become a mask, a reminder of the cyclical nature of time and the inevitable return of the past. The presence of the sundial acts as a memento mori, a reminder of the fleeting nature of existence. This object is not merely a tool for measuring time, but a lens through which we contemplate our place in the grand cosmic order.