Gezicht op het Baptisterium in Florence before 1871

This is Giacomo Brogi’s photograph of the Baptistery in Florence. Note how the octagonal shape, far from being merely architectural, resonates with potent symbolism. In Christian iconography, the number eight signifies regeneration and new beginnings. This echoes the function of the Baptistery itself, where the ritual of baptism marks a spiritual rebirth. We see this number appear elsewhere, such as the eight-sided Crown of Immortality in ancient Roman art, a symbol adopted to signify the Christian soul's eternal life after baptism. These symbols resurface through epochs, their meanings subtly altered, yet retaining their connection to deeper, archetypal themes of transformation. Such recurring motifs act as a potent mnemonic device, continually reminding us of humanity’s collective spiritual journey, and the cyclical nature of death and rebirth.