Coiffure van een Byzantijnse keizerin 1869 - 1925

Antoon Derkinderen sketched this "Coiffure van een Byzantijnse keizerin" with delicate lines. Note the empress’s elaborate crown, adorned with jewels and crosses. These symbols carry the weight of temporal and spiritual authority within the Byzantine Empire. Consider how similar crowns appear throughout history, not just as symbols of royalty but also as representations of divine mandate. The halo, derived from sun symbols of antiquity, encircles the heads of saints and emperors alike, suggesting an ethereal connection. This recurring motif reflects a deep-seated human need to visualize and embody power. Think, too, of the emotional resonance of these images. The empress's regalia isn’t merely decorative; it’s a visual assertion of control and stability in a world often chaotic. The human psyche responds to these symbols, recognizing them as anchors of societal order. These symbols, like the serpent in the Garden of Eden, reappear in new guises, demonstrating their enduring presence in the collective memory of mankind.