Illustration for Vyšehrad 

Artuš Scheiner crafted this illustration for Vyšehrad, capturing a scene steeped in elemental symbolism. Fire, the dominant presence, has always represented transformation, purification, and domesticity, around which this woman sits. Notice how firelight dances across her face, an image reminiscent of classical hearth goddesses. Vesta in Roman tradition comes to mind. But observe how the fire's glow casts shadows, hinting at a darker, transformative power. The hearth motif, as an essential element of life and creation, surfaces across cultures, from ancient Greek temples where sacred flames burned perpetually, to contemporary domestic spaces where the hearth serves as the family's focal point. The fire also evokes a psychoanalytic space, where the collective memory and subconscious merge. Like flickering flames, the emotional intensity of the image engages us on a deep, primal level. As you contemplate Scheiner's illustration, reflect on how symbols persist, evolve, and resurface in a continuous dance through time.