Stok van een vaandel van het eerste afdeling infanterie Possibly 1846

This is Jan Willem Pieneman’s ‘Staff of a flag of the First Infantry Division’. The verticality of this flagstaff immediately strikes you, a stark line reaching upwards. The staff is divided into sections of alternating colour and texture, beginning with the smooth, dark metal base. As your eyes move upwards you see the spiral pattern made of alternating dark wood and light yellow stripes. The semiotics of this object are fascinating. On top, the staff bears the weight of a decorative finial. The tassels hanging to the side add an element of dynamism, contrasting with the static nature of the staff itself. As a symbol, the staff represents authority, unity, and the visible manifestation of military structure. Its presence transcends mere decoration. Notice how the form of the staff – its very structure and materials – communicates themes of power, organization, and the codes of military symbolism. It invites us to question how objects like this reflect and shape our understanding of cultural order. The staff, then, is not just an artifact but a potent signifier.