Reproductie van een portret van Maria Luissa de Tassis before 1897

This reproduction of a portrait of Maria Luissa de Tassis is currently housed in the Rijksmuseum. Pearls encircle her neck, and the sleeves of her dress, symbols of purity, status and wealth. Note the feather fan she holds, a tool as much for display as for practical use. The feather is a curious symbol. From ancient Egyptian mythology where it represents Ma'at, truth and cosmic order, to Renaissance Europe where it signified nobility and refinement, the feather carries weighty symbolic baggage. We see its echo in Botticelli's "Venus and Mars," adorning Venus, a symbol of beauty and divine grace. Consider how such symbols are passed down, their meanings shifting, evolving, yet always retaining a connection to the past. This visual language speaks to our collective memory, stirring something within us, perhaps a longing for a bygone era. This image presents a cyclical progression of symbols, resurfacing, evolving, and taking on new meanings in different historical contexts.