Pagtsbogen bliver læst op for Jerusalem's indbyggere 1569

Maarten van Heemskerck created this drawing, titled 'Pagtsbogen bliver læst op for Jerusalem's indbyggere'—or, The Book of the Covenant Being Read to the People of Jerusalem—sometime in the 16th century. At its heart, the opened book is a powerful symbol, representing not just knowledge, but law and divine will. We see the king standing proudly, gesturing as the sacred text is proclaimed. This act echoes through time; consider Moses presenting the tablets on Mount Sinai, or Roman emperors displaying the law for all to see. Notice the figures at the bottom, some weeping, some contorted in distress—an outward manifestation of the internal psychological struggle as they confront the divine law. The opened book, therefore, is not just a symbol of authority, but also a mirror reflecting the internal states of those who behold it. It reminds us of the enduring power of symbols to engage our deepest emotions and connect us across the ages.