Portret van Robert Dudley, graaf van Leicester 1736 - 1738

Jacob Houbraken etched this portrait of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester. Dudley is portrayed holding a sword in his right hand, a symbol of power and authority. The sword is a motif echoing through the ages, from the Bronze Age depictions of warriors to Renaissance images of chivalry, embodying not just physical might but also justice and leadership. Think of the Sword of Damocles, forever hanging over those in power, or the Archangel Michael, forever vanquishing evil with his flaming sword. These reappearances of the sword are not simply repetitions, but rather, transformations reflecting the changing values and anxieties of different eras. It appears that subconsciously humans have always needed a figure of justice and power. See how the sword is a symbol of an endless and powerful battle. In that battle we try to find meaning through the ages.