Brief aan de predikanten van de Protestantse Kerk met het verzoek om te bidden voor de nieuwe koning, 1840 Possibly 1840

This letter, printed in 1840, is a plea to the clergy of the Protestant Church to pray for the new King of the Netherlands. The dominant symbol here is not visual, but textual: the appeal to divine authority, the 'Goddelijken zegen'. This invocation echoes across centuries, from ancient Egyptian prayers to the gods for pharaohs, to medieval Christian blessings for kings. The concept of divine right – the belief that a ruler's authority comes directly from a deity – surfaces repeatedly in different forms. In the act of beseeching divine support, we see a manifestation of humanity’s deep-seated need for legitimacy and order. It is a timeless gesture reflecting the interplay between power, belief, and the collective psyche. This letter, with its call for prayers, evokes a deep-seated yearning for stability. It is a poignant reminder of how symbols and rituals can reflect the complex interplay between power, faith, and the human need for order.