Portret van Timur, ook wel genoemd Tamerlan c. 1686

This is a portrait of Timur, also known as Tamerlane, created by an anonymous artist. Timur stands, framed against a pale green background, holding a spear and wearing elaborate armor and a jeweled helmet, with a halo that indicates his elevated status. The spear, a symbol of power and authority, takes us back to ancient Greece, where it was associated with gods and heroes. The halo, originally a pagan symbol of sun gods, was later adopted by Christianity to denote saints and divine figures. Its presence around Timur’s head suggests an attempt to imbue him with an aura of invincibility, linking him to a lineage of conquerors and divinities. This image, charged with historical weight, speaks to the enduring human desire to immortalize power. It shows us the cyclical nature of symbols and how they are continuously adapted to legitimize authority across cultures and eras.