Portrait of a Gentleman 1854

John Carlin, around the mid-19th century, painted this miniature "Portrait of a Gentleman" with watercolor on ivory. Observe the man's attire – the dark jacket and meticulously tied bow. These are not merely garments but symbols of social standing and adherence to the codes of the time. Consider the bow, a variation of the knot, a motif that has wound its way through history. The Gordian Knot, for example, presented by destiny itself, its untangling promised power, its cutting, ruin. The bow tie, then, is a tamed knot, domesticated but still whispering of potency. It has evolved from functional ties to declarations of identity, reappearing on dandies and distinguished figures throughout the ages. These symbols, repeated and adapted across time, engage us on a deeply rooted, subconscious level, tapping into humanity’s collective memory.