Groepsportret van studenten op de trap van (vermoedelijk) het Malmöhus te Malmö Possibly 1887 - 1888

This photograph by C. de Sharengrad captures a group of students on the steps of what is believed to be the Malmöhus in Malmö. Note the architectural details above the doorway. The trefoil motif, a recurring symbol, tops the building. The trefoil, with its three-lobed shape, echoes the clover, a sign of fortune. From antiquity, across cultures, the number three has been associated with harmony. One cannot help but recall the Christian Trinity or the tripartite soul of the ancient Greeks. Like the caduceus, it reemerges through time, its cultural roots entwined with new meanings. In the context of this photograph, the trefoil may unconsciously convey a sense of harmony and perhaps, symbolically, the idea of collective well-being within the academic setting. The photograph's composition, with the students gathered on the steps, resonates with a sense of shared identity and belonging. The symbolism of the trefoil then adds another layer to our experience.