Portret van Hendrik Busserus 1743 - 1772

Here we see Pieter Louw’s portrait of Hendrik Busserus, made with engraving. Look at the image held by Busserus. It depicts a battle, a chaotic scene full of movement and conflict frozen in time. Such scenes have ancient roots. Consider the classical friezes depicting the battles of gods and men, or the tapestries of medieval warfare. The image here echoes those past depictions of strife, yet it is contained, miniaturized, and held within the hand. This containment speaks to a broader theme: the human desire to control and understand the chaos of existence. Throughout history, battle scenes have resurfaced, evolving from expressions of raw power to symbols of strategic intellect and moral narratives. The collective memory of conflict, ingrained in our subconscious, continues to find new expression. It is a visual echo, resonating across time, a testament to our enduring fascination with conflict.