Ornament 

This is an ornament print made by Theodor de Bry in the late 16th century. The prints feature elaborate decorations filled with symbolic motifs, with figures of angels, faces, foliage, and fantastical creatures. The recurring presence of the cherubic faces and winged figures remind us of the Renaissance interest in classical antiquity, harkening back to the cherubs found in ancient Roman art. The motif of the angel is not static, however. Consider the early medieval period, when angels were portrayed as stern messengers of God, compared to the more sentimental, playful cherubs seen here and in much later Baroque art. This transformation reveals a shift in cultural attitudes, reflecting a softer, more humanistic approach to the divine. Such motifs are not merely aesthetic choices; they are cultural artifacts embedded with layers of historical memory. The emotional resonance of these images lies in their ability to connect us to a collective past, stirring subconscious feelings and associations that transcend time. The lion's head, for example, evokes an ancestral connection to primal power, a deep-seated human fascination with the raw energy and authority of nature.