Bust believed to be of Berenice c. 19th century

Editor: This is a print of a bust, believed to be Berenice, by Gaetano Bonatti. It's quite delicate. What symbols do you see here? Curator: Note the hairstyle – the carefully arranged curls bound by a diadem. Hair, historically, signifies power, vitality, even a connection to the divine. Berenice's styled locks speak to her status and, perhaps, aspirations. What emotions does her coiffure evoke for you? Editor: A sense of calculated beauty, almost regal. I guess I hadn't considered hair as a symbol of power. Curator: Exactly! Consider its presence in mythology and ritual. Visual imagery holds meaning, shaped and reshaped by cultural memory. This image tells a story, doesn't it? Editor: It does. I see that now. Thank you.