Thomas van Aquino wordt ziek op weg naar het Tweede concilie van Lyon 1610

Egbert Van Panderen created this engraving, now at the Rijksmuseum, depicting Thomas Aquinas falling ill on his way to the Second Council of Lyon. Dominating the scene is the figure of Aquinas, surrounded by monks, one of whom is writing. Above, in a window, Saint Peter is shown leading Thomas to heaven. The act of writing, particularly when recording the words or death of a holy figure, is a motif that echoes through centuries. Think of the Gospels, where the apostles meticulously record the life and teachings of Christ, or consider the countless hagiographies written to immortalize the deeds of saints. Such writing serves not just as a record, but as a sacred act, preserving the essence of divine knowledge and the transition of a mortal to the immortal realm. The collective memory of such scenes taps into a deep, subconscious understanding of mortality and the spiritual journey. It serves as a powerful force, engaging viewers on a profound level. This cyclical progression of symbols and iconography, resurfacing and evolving, reveals how cultural memory continually reshapes our understanding of the sacred.