Schouw met medaillon 1784 - 1785

This is a drawing of a ‘Schouw met medaillon’, or mantelpiece with medallion, by de Saint-Morien, held at the Rijksmuseum. Note the symmetry and classical motifs. The garlands of leaves adorning this design speak of ancient rituals, echoing those woven in antiquity for victors and deities. Consider how these decorative wreaths, once symbols of triumph and divinity, evolved into mere ornamentation, stripped of their sacred potency yet still resonating with echoes of their former glory. See how the medallion, with its promise of portraiture, hints at immortality. Similar medallions can be found on Roman sarcophagi, and Renaissance palaces. These objects speak to our collective desire to be remembered, connecting us to the deep-seated human need to transcend our mortality. This desire for enduring recognition, so poignantly captured here, has continued throughout the ages.