Portret van een vrouw met twee baby's op schoot, waarschijnlijk de tweeling Ad en Johanna van der Kop met een familielid after 1901

This is a photograph by Willem Carel van der Kop, portraying a woman with two babies. The scene is dominated by a sense of domesticity, with the tambourine held by one of the children catching my eye. The tambourine has ancient roots, appearing in religious and festive contexts across cultures. From its use in ecstatic rituals in ancient Greece to its role in medieval processions, the tambourine has long been associated with heightened emotional states. Here, it is a child’s toy, yet it resonates with echoes of Dionysian revelry and ecstatic dance. We see a similar circular instrument depicted in the hands of the muses in Renaissance paintings, emblems of harmony. The evolution of this simple instrument, and its journey through diverse cultural landscapes, reflect how symbols can transform, yet retain their primal power. The presence of this instrument evokes a deep, subconscious connection to our collective past, revealing the emotional and psychological depth embedded in the everyday.