Portret van Hermanus Boerhaave 1800 - 1849

This is a portrait of Hermanus Boerhaave, rendered by H.I. Colleye in a print of notable dimensions. Boerhaave's face is a map of intellect, framed by the voluminous wig so emblematic of his era. This adornment, far from mere vanity, speaks of status, learning, and an adherence to the societal norms of the enlightened age. Consider, however, the wig’s transformation through time: once a symbol of authority and wisdom, it evolved into a marker of social divide. The wig, in its excessive form, appears again and again, even in satire, representing the folly of clinging to outdated norms. The psychological weight carried by such symbols is immense, reflecting our collective anxieties about change. Even now, the echoes of such symbols vibrate within our cultural memory. Boerhaave's portrait invites us to consider these cyclical progressions, to see how yesterday’s emblems of power can become tomorrow’s objects of derision, only to be reinterpreted once again.