Portret van de drukker en schrijver William Bowyer 1800 - 1804

This is John Chapman's portrait of William Bowyer, an engraving printed around 1800. Below Bowyer's likeness, a symbol arrests the eye: an eagle, wings spread wide. Since antiquity, the eagle has been a solar symbol, a bird of kings and gods. We see it perched on Roman standards, gripping lightning bolts in its talons, and even soaring on the banners of empires spanning from East to West. Here, the eagle is a symbol of vigilance and power, but also of rebirth and renewal. In this image, it may allude to the Bowyer family's printing trade; books as vessels of knowledge, knowledge as the power of the enlightened mind. The eagle, therefore, evokes a primitive, emotional response—a deep, subconscious acknowledgment of authority and elevated intellect. This emblem carries with it echoes of ancient mythologies, an echo of the bird’s many past lives across time, ever evolving, ever potent. Its presence creates a powerful, visceral experience, engaging viewers on a subconscious level.