Allegorisch gedenkteken ter herinnering aan Maria Duyst van Voorhout, 1754 1754

This allegorical print, commemorating Maria Duyst van Voorhout, was created in 1754 by Simon Fokke. Notice how Fokke orchestrates a scene dominated by a play of light and shadow achieved through fine, precise lines. The composition centers on a memorial bust, around which ethereal figures—angels, cherubs, and a veiled woman—move in gestures of mourning and celebration. The texture of the engraving lends a certain gravity, yet the swirling clouds and dynamic poses of the figures suggest a world in flux. The central monument is adorned with symbols and crests, each carefully delineated to signify status and virtue. The work suggests a tension between earthly memorial and heavenly ascent. The semiotic encoding of symbols speaks to the evolving societal values and the artistic styles of the 18th century. It serves as a visual rhetoric, negotiating between the representation of death and the promise of eternal life.