Fotoreproductie van een portret van Thomas Vaux door Hans Holbein before 1877

This is a reproduction of a portrait of Thomas Vaux by Hans Holbein. Observe the cap, a telling symbol of status and identity throughout history. In Holbein's time, such headwear signified the sitter's belonging to a certain class. It spoke volumes about one's profession and social standing. Centuries earlier, we see similar head coverings in Roman portraiture, where the "pileus" marked a freed slave, a visual signifier of newfound liberty. The cap is not merely a piece of clothing; it is a loaded emblem, capable of conveying profound cultural and political messages. Consider the Phrygian cap donned during the French Revolution, a symbol of freedom and the pursuit of liberty. Across vastly different eras and contexts, the cap recurs, adapting to the changing winds of history. This portrait taps into a deep, subconscious recognition of the hat as a marker of identity, an emotional touchstone. These reappearances are never identical, yet they resonate with the echoes of past meanings, a testament to the enduring power of symbols.