Hotel De Toelast te Alkmaar, eigenaar J. van der Haagen c. 1850 - 1880

This small token of brass bears witness to the Hotel De Toelast in Alkmaar. Dominating its face is a barrel, a potent symbol throughout history, deeply intertwined with themes of sustenance, community, and revelry. Consider the Dionysian festivals of ancient Greece, where wine flowed freely from such vessels, unlocking states of ecstatic communion. The barrel, then, is not merely a container but a vessel of transformation. Similarly, in medieval banquets, the tapping of a new barrel was a moment of communal celebration, solidifying social bonds and offering respite from daily toils. But let us not forget the subtle shifts in meaning. Over time, the barrel also came to represent trade and commerce, the very lifeblood of burgeoning cities. Our collective memory imbues this simple object with a powerful resonance, evoking a range of emotions from joy and camaraderie to the security of provision. It is a symbol that continues to evolve.