Luitenant-kolonel 1587 - 1596

This anonymous engraving, entitled "Luitenant-kolonel," presents us with a figure of military authority, yet its incomplete form and damaged state offer a poignant reflection on power and impermanence. We see the Lieutenant Colonel standing tall, his ornate attire and commanding pose emblematic of the societal hierarchies of his time. Yet, this representation exists only in fragments. What does it mean when symbols of power and identity are subjected to decay? The partial view invites us to question the narratives we construct around authority and the individuals who embody it. Is the decay a visual metaphor for the crumbling of power structures, or a comment on the fleeting nature of individual identity within the vast theatre of history? The Lieutenant Colonel might have wanted to be remembered, but now only serves as a reminder that time erodes even the most carefully constructed legacies.