Kwart van vierkant plafond 1634 - 1716

Nicolas Pierre Loir created this print of a ceiling quarter in Paris during the 17th century. You'll notice garlands, cherubs, and classical figures adorned with laurel wreaths, all symbols deeply rooted in antiquity. Consider the laurel wreath: in ancient Greece, it crowned victors and heroes, signifying triumph and honor. Here, adorning allegorical figures, it evokes a connection to that glorious past. This motif is not isolated to Loir's time; it reappears throughout history, each time imbued with a slightly different meaning. The cherubs, or putti, also evoke the classical world, spirits that have carried through time. The persistence of these classical symbols reveals a collective memory, a subconscious yearning to connect with an idealized past. These images carry an emotional charge that transcends time, engaging us on a deep, perhaps unconscious level. These symbols are not linear, but cyclical, resurfacing, evolving, and taking on new meanings in different historical contexts. Loir’s print reminds us that the past is never truly gone but lives on in our cultural memory.