Cartouche met leeuw, knots en fakkel 1750 - 1762

Benedikt Winkler created this cartouche with a lion, club, and torch in ink in the 18th century. Here we see classical motifs, symbols charged with meaning and history. The lion, king of beasts, embodies courage and strength, its image echoing through heraldry and myth. The club, often associated with heroes like Hercules, speaks to primal power and triumph over adversity. And the torch, a beacon of enlightenment, pierces the darkness of ignorance. Consider how the torch's flame, a symbol of knowledge, dances across epochs, from ancient rituals to modern emblems of progress. The roaring lion head, a symbol of power, can be traced back to ancient Greece and Egypt. It reappears in myriad forms—from the gates of Mycenae to the heraldic emblems of European royalty—each time imbued with new layers of cultural and psychological significance. The collective unconscious, it seems, remembers these symbols, their emotional resonance echoing through generations. These are not mere decorations but echoes of humanity's deepest aspirations and fears.