Fotoreproductie van een schilderij, voorstellende een portret van Girolamo Savonarola before 1888

This photogravure reproduces a painted portrait of Girolamo Savonarola, the fiery Dominican friar who shook Florence with his calls for religious reform in the late 15th century. Dominating the image is Savonarola's severe profile, framed by the austere lines of his monastic cowl. Consider the hood itself—a symbol of humility, piety, and withdrawal from the secular world. Across time, the hood appears in various guises, from the protective cloaks of medieval pilgrims to the concealing garments of penitents and executioners. It suggests both shelter and concealment, reflecting the complex duality of religious fervor. Similarly, it carries the weight of collective memory, reminding us of other hooded figures. The very act of veiling speaks to a deep psychological need to both reveal and conceal. Savonarola, through the symbolic language of his attire, engaged in a powerful drama, one that continues to resonate with the psychological undercurrents of faith and doubt, power and submission. The image of Savonarola has resurfaced, evolving and taking on new meanings in different historical contexts.