Uittocht van de remonstrantse predikanten, 1619 1780 - 1795

This is Reinier Vinkeles's etching of "Uittocht van de Remonstrantse predikanten, 1619," now at the Rijksmuseum. It depicts the exodus of Remonstrant ministers, a scene rich with symbols of persecution and resilience. Here, the covered wagons become potent symbols. Remember the Old Testament and the Israelites, their wandering mirroring this plight, their faith tested by hardship. The covered wagon is their ‘ark’, their sanctuary. The act of leaving signifies a break from the old order. Think of similar departures in art: banishments, exiles, or flights into Egypt. These scenes tap into a collective memory of displacement, stirring feelings of empathy and shared human experience. The emotional weight of departure—the sorrow, the hope—echoes through centuries, a testament to the enduring human spirit. Like a snake eating its tail, history repeats itself.