Fotoreproductie van Robrecht de Clercq, abt van Ter Duinen before 1861

Edmond Fierlants captured this photogravure of Robrecht de Clercq, abbot of Ter Duinen, sometime in the mid-19th century. The abbot's staff, a key symbol of authority, connects us to the shepherd's crook of ancient times, seen in images of Christ as the Good Shepherd. This symbol transcends the Christian era, echoing in the scepters of pharaohs and kings, all asserting dominion. The book he holds is no less potent. A symbol of knowledge, it echoes the wisdom held sacred in cultures from ancient Egypt, with its scrolls, to the libraries of Alexandria. It is a conscious, intellectual symbol, yet when we find it repeated, it takes on a new significance, each instance accumulating layers of cultural memory. It acts as a talisman of learned authority and devotion, a potent force that engages viewers on a deep, subconscious level. The echoes of symbols like these reverberate through history, constantly evolving, yet forever tied to their origins.