Deel van het Parnassus-fries aan de voet van het Albert Memorial in Londen: schilders 1878 - 1890

This monochrome photograph captures Francis Godolphin Osbourne Stuart’s portion of the Parnassus frieze on the Albert Memorial in London. Here, assembled at the foot of the monument, are celebrated painters like Rembrandt, Rubens, and Dürer. Notice how they are not merely portraits but embodiments of their artistic legacies. Consider the hand gesture of Jan van Eyck: a gentle, almost blessing-like extension of the hand. This gesture echoes in countless Renaissance paintings, particularly those depicting Christ or saints, signifying grace, authority, and the transmission of divine knowledge. Such gestures, imbued with historical and religious significance, resurface in secular contexts, their meanings subtly transformed. Our collective memory carries these symbols forward. It is fascinating how the subconscious processes affect the production and interpretation of art, engaging viewers on a deep, intuitive level. The inclusion of these masters suggests a lineage, a passing of the torch of artistic genius across centuries. This symbol of the art masters is non-linear, cyclical, it resurfaces and evolves, taking on new meanings through time.