Fotoalbum met portretten van verschillende personen, waaronder leden van de familie Holtius en Buys Ballot c. 1860 - 1870

This is a photo album featuring portraits of the Holtius and Buys Ballot families. Observe the quatrefoil designs embossed in the leather. It's more than just a decoration; the quatrefoil, with its four lobes, is a symbol resonating through centuries, representing wholeness, stability, and even divinity in some contexts. The symbol appears across Christian art, adorning Gothic cathedrals and illuminated manuscripts, and echoes through secular works as a mark of prestige and formality. Think of the recurring use of such symbols and the human desire to find harmony and balance through visual representation. These patterns tap into our collective unconscious. The quatrefoil, therefore, in its cyclical journey, reveals our persistent need for symbols that anchor us and reflect our deepest aspirations.