Ove Bilde. Hans Gaas. Peder Svave 1779 - 1781

This engraving features a memorial column, its stark form inscribed with names. A monument, it evokes the classical tradition of commemorating individuals, echoing the ancient Roman practice of erecting columns to honor leaders and victories. The column, however, is not merely a marker. It is a vessel of memory, a symbolic repository for the weight of history and the individuals it represents. Think of Trajan's Column, where narratives unfold in stone, or even earlier, the Egyptian obelisks, reaching skyward as if to pierce the veil of mortality. Notice how the column form persists, evolving from a symbol of imperial power to a marker of individual remembrance. The names inscribed become a mantra against oblivion. It's as if the stone itself absorbs the essence of those it commemorates, engaging us in a subconscious dialogue about loss, legacy, and the enduring human desire to leave our mark on the world. The motif is non-linear, cyclical, and timeless, resurfacing and evolving through history.