Horatio Greenough 

Rembrandt Peale captured Horatio Greenough with oil on canvas in this portrait. The tight, dark coat framing his face suggests a kind of intellectual intensity but look closer and notice the white collar—a symbol deeply embedded in the history of portraiture. It echoes the ruffs of the Renaissance, signaling erudition. Think of Holbein's scholars or Rembrandt's own self-portraits, where similar collars marked a dedication to knowledge and humanism. Yet, here, its rigid form gives it a distinctly American character, reflecting both a respect for tradition and the burgeoning ideals of a new republic. This collar, a stark white against darker hues, is a visual echo—a form that has taken on different meanings, re-emerging to declare something particular about the sitter in their time. It's a subtle statement, yet on a subconscious level, we recognize it, connect with it. Consider how the cyclical nature of symbols resurfaces, always evolving and bearing new significance as eras shift.