Macarius van Alexandrië als kluizenaar 1583 - 1588

Johann Sadeler I created this engraving, "Macarius of Alexandria as a Hermit," sometime in the late 16th century. Here, the desert father Macarius is depicted in a state of contemplation while animals gather peacefully around a pool. This imagery echoes the classical motif of the "Golden Age," where nature is harmonious and uncorrupted. Consider how this scene recalls similar depictions of Eden, where animals lived in harmony before the Fall. Even the presence of a unicorn amongst the animals is a symbolic bridge between the natural and the divine, as seen in tapestries of the medieval era. We observe here a longing for a return to innocence, a state of grace before the consciousness of sin disrupted man’s relationship with nature. This yearning surfaces repeatedly in art, a potent reminder of humanity's collective desire for redemption and reconciliation with the natural world. It speaks to a deep-seated psychological need for harmony and peace. Note how this imagery evolves, appearing centuries later in Romantic paintings, reflecting a continuous human impulse to recapture a lost state of grace.