Briefkaart aan Philip Zilcken before 1898

This is a letter card to Philip Zilcken, by Albert Baertsoen. Observe the marks of transit, the circular stamps and the franked coat of arms. These symbols of bureaucratic precision serve as a cultural hieroglyph, emblems of a civilizing order imposed upon the world. Consider the circle, a form that has haunted the human psyche since the dawn of time. In ancient sun worship, the circle represents cosmic unity and divine power. Here, it is reborn as the postal stamp, signifying the reach of the modern state, standardizing time, organizing communication. It brings to mind the ouroboros, a symbol of the cyclical nature of time, and the perpetual return of forms and ideas. In this context, the humble postal stamp speaks to the modern human’s quest to tame time, to capture and control its relentless flow. The coat of arms, once a mark of noble lineage, has been repurposed by the state to signify its authority and legitimacy. These motifs, once imbued with ancient meanings, have been reborn in a modern guise. This reminds us that symbols never truly die. They evolve and resurface, carrying traces of their past lives into the present.