Fotoreproductie van een carte-de-visite met portret van een staande vrouw, Indisch gekleed 1887 - 1888

Here is a carte-de-visite made by Marinus Pieter Filbri portraying a woman dressed in Javanese clothing. Notice the batik sarong, adorned with animal motifs; elephants and horses. These symbols are not merely decorative, they are potent cultural signifiers. The elephant, often associated with royalty and wisdom, contrasts with the horse, a symbol of power and freedom. These animals echo through time; we see them in ancient frescoes, medieval tapestries, and now, printed on fabric. These motifs are not fixed, they evolve. In one context, the horse may represent nobility; in another, untamed passion. Consider how such symbols tap into our collective unconscious. Do these animals evoke a sense of exoticism, power, or perhaps a longing for a connection with nature? It's a dance of memory and emotion, where the past continually reshapes the present.