Portret van de predikant Jacob Dermout 1807

Charles Howard Hodges created this portrait of Jacob Dermout, a preacher, using the technique of mezzotint. Observe the preacher’s attire, especially the stark white collar, a symbol deeply rooted in religious iconography. This collar, a variation of clerical collars, is not merely clothing; it is a visual signifier of Dermout’s sacred role. Think back to medieval monks and their habits—uniformity signifying devotion and detachment from the secular world. This symbol has evolved through time. Consider its echoes in the modern era in business uniforms or even the white coats of doctors, each suggesting authority and purity in their respective domains. The seemingly simple collar, thus, carries within it centuries of accumulated meaning, surfacing in unexpected places, reminding us that visual symbols never truly die, but undergo cyclical rebirths. The image, therefore, engages us on a subconscious level, a collective memory reawakened.