Portret van een onbekende man 1868 - 1888

This is a portrait made by Leon A. van Weijderveldt of an unknown man. In this photograph, the subject wears a dark jacket adorned with a round lapel pin. This small, circular emblem echoes the ancient fascination with the circle as a symbol of eternity and wholeness. The Greeks saw the circle as perfection; its symbolic resonance transcends cultures. Think of the halo in religious art, a direct descendant of earlier solar and divine symbols. The pin on this man’s lapel, while secular, carries a faint echo of that ancient power. Has it been passed down through history, shifting in meaning but still engaging our subconscious with its promise of unity and completion? This simple shape subtly impacts our perception, a gentle, psychological nudge towards harmony. Such symbols are never truly lost; they resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings in different historical contexts.