Vrouw met een lier, gevat in een met olijftakken versierde omlijsting 1751 - 1816

Reinier Vinkeles created this artwork, "Woman with a Lyre," an etching, now held at the Rijksmuseum. A woman amidst clouds, a lyre by her side, is framed by olive branches, symbols of peace and victory since ancient Greece. The lyre, emblem of Apollo, evokes harmony and enlightenment. Notice how the figure is reminiscent of classical muses, inspiring the arts and sciences. This motif echoes through Botticelli's Venus, reborn with the same life-affirming spirit. Even in later works, like Klimt's depictions of women, we see this echo, though transformed through a modern lens. The emotional power of such figures lies in their ability to connect us to a collective past, stirring subconscious memories of beauty, inspiration, and the enduring human spirit. These symbols are never truly static. They reappear, evolve, and take on new meanings, forever part of our cultural memory.