O casamento simulado com a photographia de Maria Eugenia dos Santos 1886

C. Grillo produced this book cover for “O casamento simulado com a photographia de Maria Eugenia dos Santos” in Lisbon in 1886. At its core, it is an intricate emblem, a symbol of union and connection. This looping figure, a refined knot, bears a resemblance to other artworks through time. Think of the caduceus, a symbol used since antiquity, with its two snakes intertwined around a staff, signifying commerce, negotiation, and reciprocity, but also medicine. Even the lemniscate, a symbol for infinity, shares the idea of an endless, interconnected path. This emblem embodies the binding force and continuity—a connection that is meant to endure. The act of looping and intertwining symbolizes, on a subconscious level, the merging of two entities. It taps into a collective memory, evoking feelings of commitment and unbreakable bonds. The symbol’s cyclical progression invites us to reflect on how these primal yearnings for connection have resurfaced, evolved, and been reinterpreted across various eras and cultural contexts.