Interieur van huis van Barthold Suermondt in Aken c. 1860 - 1871

Johan Nöhring captured the interior of Barthold Suermondt's house in Aachen with this photograph. Notice the prominent display of collected plates, and mounted antlers, symbols of wealth and status during the 19th century. These antlers echo a primal, virile force, reminiscent of ancient hunting rituals where the hunter's prowess was celebrated through the display of animal trophies. Think of the mythical Actaeon, transformed into a stag and hunted by his own hounds—a potent symbol of transformation and the hunter becoming the hunted. This motif is not merely decorative; it’s a declaration of power, a taming of the wild, and a connection to ancestral strengths. The plates, too, tell a story. Collected from various places, these dishes are a metaphor of Suermondt's worldliness, a collection of experiences brought together to forge his identity. Over time, these symbols evolve, sometimes subtly, sometimes dramatically, yet they invariably resurface.