Plate 8: a cartouche with the head of an old man at top center, scrollwork to either side, from 'Twelve cartouches' (Recueil de douze cartouches) 1640 - 1645

François Collignon created this print, a cartouche with the head of an old man, during the 17th century. The grotesque head at the top, framed by elaborate scrollwork, is more than mere decoration; it's a relic of a cultural memory stretching back to antiquity. Consider the ancient Roman funerary masks, imagines maiorum, worn to honor ancestors. This head, though stylized, echoes that tradition, a tangible link to the past. The scrolls, too, recall classical acanthus leaves, symbols of rebirth and resilience. This motif of the aged head appears again and again throughout history, sometimes as a symbol of wisdom, other times as a reminder of mortality, demonstrating the human psyche’s deep fascination with time and decay. The emotional power of this image lies in its ability to evoke a sense of continuity, reminding us that we are part of a larger, ongoing narrative. The symbol continues its journey. It resurfaces, evolves, and takes on new meanings in different historical contexts, endlessly reborn.