Portret van Saskia met een parelsnoer in het haar 1635 - 1636

Wenceslaus Hollar etched this portrait of Saskia van Uylenburgh in 1635. Observe the pearls adorning her hair and neckline. Pearls, since antiquity, have symbolized purity, but also, paradoxically, tears. Consider Botticelli’s Venus, born from the sea, often depicted with pearls, embodying both innocence and the sorrow inherent in beauty's transience. Here, Saskia’s pearls may allude to her virtue and status, yet, knowing her tragic fate – her early death at 29 – these symbols take on a poignant, melancholic hue. It’s as if the collective unconscious, aware of life's fragility, subtly imbued these lustrous gems with a premonition of grief. This duality engages us, stirring a subconscious recognition of beauty intertwined with sorrow, a powerful force that resonates across centuries. It is a visceral experience, engaging both intellect and primal emotions. This symbol reminds us of the cyclical nature of symbols, continuously resurfacing and evolving across time.