Portret van luitenant-kolonel John Miller Adye van de Royal artillery en Assistant Adjudant General van het Britse 'Ordnance Department' tijdens de Krimoorlog Possibly 1855 - 1856

Roger Fenton captured Lieutenant-Colonel John Miller Adye during the Crimean War, immortalising him in a photograph. Notice the sword. It is not merely a weapon but a potent symbol of authority and martial prowess. Its gleaming surface reflects not just light, but echoes of ancient battles and chivalric codes. Consider the sword's evolution: from the bronze blades of antiquity, through the crusader's arming sword, to the dueling rapier, and finally as a ceremonial symbol carried in conflicts across Europe. Here, it represents far more than military might. It evokes the psychological weight of leadership, the burden of command etched on Adye’s solemn face, and it is a symbol that transcends this single image. It is a non-linear evolution of power, forever resurfacing in different hands, in varied conflicts, and in changing times.