Portret van Ferdinand van Portugal after 1621

This engraving by Cornelis Galle I portrays Ferdinand of Portugal clad in armor, his hand firmly grasping a sword. The sword is a potent symbol of authority, justice, and martial prowess. In medieval and Renaissance iconography, it signified the power to enforce laws and defend the realm, often associated with nobility and knightly virtues. Consider how the sword appears in other contexts—from ancient Roman depictions of military leaders to Renaissance allegories of justice. Each era imbues it with new layers of meaning. Think of the Archangel Michael, forever frozen in time doing battle with the Devil. The sword is an extension of his will, a divine tool to be wielded with divine purpose. The sword as a motif has undergone countless transformations across cultures and time. The sword is not merely a weapon; it is a symbol loaded with cultural memory, embodying the eternal struggle between order and chaos that stirs deep within the human psyche.