Karel Stuart (1630-85), prins van Wales. De latere koning Karel II van Engeland 1650s

This is a miniature portrait of Karel Stuart, later King Charles II of England, painted by Nathaniel Thach. Notice the blue sash he wears, a symbol of nobility and status, yet also a striking contrast against the darker tones of his armour. The sash, a band of colour draped across the body, echoes the ancient Roman toga, a garment signifying citizenship and power. Just as the toga evolved from practical wear to a symbol of authority, the sash transforms from mere cloth into a potent signifier of rank. Consider too, how the simple act of draping fabric can evoke deep psychological responses: the swaddling clothes of a newborn, the ceremonial robes of a priest, the shroud of the deceased. Each represents a transition, a passage from one state to another. Similarly, the blue sash here speaks not only of Charles’s royal lineage, but also hints at his future ascent to the throne, a destiny shrouded in both promise and uncertainty. It reminds us that symbols are never fixed, but ever evolving in the theatre of human history.