Medaillon met takken omgeven 1777

Izaak Jansz. de Wit created this print, "Medaillon met takken omgeven," in 1777, featuring a medallion encircled by branches. Within the medallion is inscribed "Pectora Mollescunt", a Latin phrase meaning "hearts grow soft". The medallion motif, framed by organic elements, reaches back to antiquity, symbolizing honor and remembrance. The softening hearts suggest a yielding to emotion or influence, perhaps alluding to the transformative power of theatre. Consider, for example, how similar wreaths appear on Roman funerary monuments, promising rebirth. In early Renaissance paintings, a circular frame often contains the image of God, of the Madonna, or another iconic figure. These softer hearts might be read as a collective memory, a subconscious nod to earlier eras where emotion and intellect were not adversaries. The image, charged with emotion and rich in historical association, engages us on a level that transcends mere intellectual understanding. The softening hearts are not just a passive process but an active engagement with empathy. The branches framing the central design suggest a cyclical, recurrent pattern, a return to foundational, primal aspects of human experience.