Schild dat door de koning van Pruisen is geschonken aan de prins van Wales, tentoongesteld op de Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations van 1851 in Londen 1851

This is a photograph of a shield presented to the Prince of Wales by the King of Prussia, exhibited in London in 1851. The photograph captures a circular shield, adorned with intricate relief scenes and a prominent cross. The cross, a symbol rooted deeply in religious and cultural soil, transcends its Christian origins. In earlier epochs, similar cruciform shapes represented the intersection of cosmic forces, a meeting point of the divine and earthly realms. Its presence here, overlaid on scenes of power and industry, suggests a desire to sanctify and imbue these modern achievements with a sense of timeless, spiritual legitimacy. Note that the shield itself, a protective device, becomes a canvas for historical narratives and national identity. The visual program communicates a desire for stability and continuity amidst the rapid changes of the industrial age. We are reminded that such symbols never truly die; they resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings, echoing through the corridors of time.