Briefkaart aan Philip Zilcken Possibly 1890 - 1897

This is a briefkaart, a postcard, sent by Floris Verster to Philip Zilcken. But it's the stamps that truly capture my eye. Notice the royal seal on the left, crowned with regal authority. Crowns throughout history, from ancient Egypt to medieval Europe, symbolize power, legitimacy, and divine right. It evokes the psychological weight of leadership, a burden as much as a privilege. The postal stamp on the right indicates its journey through Leiden in May 1912. Consider how the symbol of the crown has morphed through epochs—a laurel wreath in Rome, a feathered headdress in indigenous cultures. Each iteration carries its own cultural baggage, yet the core concept of elevated authority persists, a testament to our collective need for hierarchy. This postcard, seemingly a simple message, becomes a vessel carrying centuries of symbolic weight.