Allegorie op de Vrede 1666

This engraving by François Tortebat, made in 1666, presents an allegory of peace, rich with symbols echoing through the ages. At its center, Peace, adorned with a laurel wreath, extends an olive branch—a gesture rooted in antiquity, from the suppliant branches offered to the gods in ancient Greece to its adoption as a symbol of reconciliation in Roman times. Above, cherubs crown her, suggesting divine favor. Note how the vanquished arms and the subdued sea monster are the price of peace, quelled by the caduceus-bearing figure beside her. This motif of triumph over chaos appears across cultures, linking back to ancient myths of gods conquering primordial beasts. Consider how the symbol of the olive branch evolves. Initially a plea, it transforms into an emblem of achieved harmony, a reflection of humanity's enduring yearning for order and prosperity. These symbols, like echoes in a grand hall, remind us that the past is never truly gone; it lives within our symbols, shaping our present and future.