Portret van Petrus van Ede 1759

This is Jan Stolker’s etched portrait of Petrus van Ede, a Remonstrant preacher. Here we see symbols laden with meaning. Consider the hourglass. In van Ede’s time, it served as a stark reminder of mortality, urging reflection on the fleeting nature of life. But trace its lineage further back, and we find it related to ancient concepts of cosmic balance, each grain representing moments in time, linking human existence to greater cycles. See also, how it is twinned with the skull, mirroring the ‘memento mori’ tradition. The open book too has significance, and its counterpart appears in countless Renaissance paintings. Knowledge, religion, wisdom, and guidance—but its presence here, placed deliberately within the preacher’s orbit, suggests a kind of self-referential authority. These motifs and symbols speak to our collective memory, resonating with deep-seated anxieties and existential questions that transcend time. Like cultural echoes, they remind us of humanity's ongoing dialogue with itself.