Reproductie van een getekend portret van Lord Thomas Babington Macaulay door George Richmond before 1886

This is a reproduction of a drawn portrait of Lord Thomas Babington Macaulay, captured by George Richmond, printed in a book. Observe the ornamental border above the text on the left page of the book. These mythical beasts, perhaps dragons, are symbols deeply rooted in the human psyche. Similar serpentine creatures, such as the Ouroboros, have appeared across cultures and millennia, each time carrying connotations of cyclical existence, the eternal return. Consider how these motifs have been passed down through history, shifting in meaning yet retaining their primal power. In ancient Egypt, the Ouroboros was linked to the sun god Ra, symbolizing renewal. Later, alchemists adopted it as a symbol of transformation. Here, they flank the beginning of a historical text, a fitting place, as history is itself cyclical. This image engages viewers on a deep, subconscious level. It serves as a reminder of the non-linear, cyclical progression of symbols, how they resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings in different historical contexts.