Portret van Augustinus Barbosa 1628

Louis Spirinx created this portrait of Augustinus Barbosa in an engraving. Here, Augustinus Barbosa is portrayed holding a book, an emblem of knowledge and wisdom. Books, of course, aren't always a symbol of wisdom. We see them in other contexts—consider ancient Egyptian depictions of the god Thoth, the deity of knowledge, represented with scrolls. Yet, in other eras, books have become symbols of suppression, like the burning of books representing ideological cleansing. The meaning of the book evolves, reflecting the cultural and historical forces at play. Its reappearance, whether as a sacred object or a tool for enforcing conformity, connects us to the powerful, often contradictory, currents of human history. This portrait captures not just an image of Barbosa, but a complex interplay of symbols, each resonating with layers of meaning that both consciously and unconsciously inform our understanding of his place in history.