Portret van Maria van Utrecht 1772

This is Reinier Vinkeles’s engraving of Maria van Utrecht. Note the intricate ruff collar, a symbol of status and formality during the 16th and 17th centuries. The ruff isn't just a fashion statement; it's a visual echo of the wheel, a motif deeply embedded in our cultural memory. The wheel, with its cyclical nature, appears across cultures, from the Buddhist dharma wheel representing the cycle of life to the Celtic sun wheel symbolizing the passage of time. In portraiture, the ruff encapsulates a sense of contained dignity, a visual boundary between the individual and the world. Observe how the rigid structure of the ruff contrasts with the soft contours of Maria's face. This interplay speaks to the tension between social expectations and individual expression, a theme that resurfaces throughout art history. The ruff, like the wheel, continues its journey, reappearing in various forms, each time carrying echoes of its past.