Portret van Jacob van Heemskerk 1855 - 1857

Jan Frederik Christiaan Reckleben engraved this portrait of Jacob van Heemskerk, the celebrated Dutch naval hero. Observe the heraldic crest below the portrait, dominated by a lion rampant. The lion, a symbol of courage and nobility, stretches back to ancient heraldry, appearing in royal emblems across Europe and beyond. This visual echo resonates with the medieval bestiaries, where the lion was celebrated as king of beasts, embodying strength and leadership. Yet, its meaning is never fixed; consider the Lion Gate of Mycenae, a symbol of power and protection, or the biblical Lion of Judah, representing divine kingship. Here, the heraldic lion serves to ennoble van Heemskerk, associating him with a lineage of valor. Such enduring motifs remind us that history is not linear, but a labyrinth of recurring images, each echoing across time and continually transformed by cultural memory.