Bladwijzer bij de prent Monument voor de Remonstranten, ca. 1800 1790 - 1836

This bookplate, made around 1800 by Johannes Jelgerhuis, serves as an index to a larger monument dedicated to the Remonstrants. The index itself becomes a symbolic artifact. Lists, like labyrinths, can be both informative and disorienting. In ancient Egypt, lists of pharaohs were not merely records but spells, designed to ensure continuity and legitimacy. Here, the ordered text attempts to encapsulate and control a complex history, the Remonstrant movement, within its grid. But what is included and excluded? How does this selection shape memory? The act of cataloging is itself a form of imprinting, a method of cultural memory. This bookplate engages us on a psychological level, drawing us into a world where words act as talismans, silently influencing our understanding of the past. It is a testament to the power of symbols—reappearing, evolving, and taking on new meanings across time.