Portret van Polykarp Leyser I 1673

This engraving portrays Polykarp Leyser I, made by Melchior Hafner II. Note the oval frame, inscribed with Leyser's titles, encircling his dignified portrait. Consider this oval—a form stretching back to antiquity, often symbolizing totality and the cyclical nature of time. The Renaissance rediscovered it, employing it to frame portraits, thus emphasizing the subject's completeness, their place in the eternal dance of history. Think of Roman emperor portraits, similarly framed, projecting authority across centuries. The frame, a protective barrier, also serves as a lens, focusing our gaze. It speaks to a collective, subconscious desire to immortalize, to preserve against the ravages of time. The image resonates with the echo of past venerations, resurfacing in new contexts. We see how symbols, like dreams, reappear, transformed, yet bearing the weight of ages.