Portret van Alexander I, prins der Nederlanden c. 1834 - 1840

Here we see a portrait of Prince Alexander of the Netherlands. Though the artist is unknown, the symbols are clear. The prince’s military attire, adorned with epaulettes and a star-shaped decoration, speaks of power and status within the Dutch royal lineage. Such emblems echo through history, reminiscent of ancient Roman leaders whose garments signified imperial authority. Consider, for example, how the star motif, here a symbol of nobility, reappears in different eras. What was once associated with divine guidance in ancient cultures has been refigured as a marker of rank. The collective memory we hold of these symbols shapes our perception, imbuing them with psychological weight that transcends time. Each generation reinterprets these motifs, weaving them into their cultural tapestry. They are never truly new, but rather, reborn through a psychoanalytic dance of recognition and reinterpretation. Like a phoenix, symbols rise from the ashes of history, carrying the echo of our shared past into the present.