Portret van Thomas Gooch c. 1749 - 1751

James McArdell's engraving presents us with Thomas Gooch, the Lord Bishop of Ely. His vestments are of great importance, immediately placing him within a religious and social hierarchy. These garments echo, distantly, the robes of Roman senators, a visual language adopted by the Church to assert authority. But even before Rome, such garments were used in ancient rituals. Think of the Babylonian priests, their robes signifying power and divine connection. Gooch's elaborate sleeves and the opulent chair, symbols of status, remind us of the shifting meanings of clothing. A simple piece of cloth can transform into a potent symbol, weighted with layers of cultural memory. The mind sees not just fabric, but centuries of aspiration, power, and spiritual authority. It engages us on a subconscious level, triggering feelings of respect, awe, or even resistance. Thus, symbols evolve, accumulating layers of meaning, yet always echoing primal human concerns: power, belief, and our place in the world.