Portret van Gesina ter Borch 1660

Moses ter Borch rendered this black chalk drawing of his sister, Gesina ter Borch, in the middle of the 17th century. Note how the ribbon in her hair, a seemingly simple adornment, speaks volumes when considered through time. Ribbons have been used across centuries to signify status, beauty, and even mourning, reflecting social values and personal identity. In the Renaissance, they adorned religious figures, symbolizing purity and devotion, yet in the Rococo era, ribbons became playful symbols of flirtation and aristocratic excess. Consider the emotional resonance. The choice to include the ribbon, and how Gesina wears it, offers a subtle yet potent commentary on her place in the world, and her emotions. Like the reappearance of ancient gods in modern advertising, such motifs do not simply vanish; they resurface, transformed, carrying echoes of past meanings into the present. The ribbon is a testament to the enduring power of symbols, constantly reshaped by the currents of history and human emotion.