Fries met aan de linkerkant een zeehond die een vogeltje in zijn bek heeft 1580 - 1623

This is an engraving of a frieze, now held at the Rijksmuseum, featuring a sea lion devouring a bird. The artist is unknown. The composition reflects a period where the natural world was both a source of wonder and a field for asserting human dominance. Consider the violence enacted upon the bird as more than just a depiction of nature. It is also symbolic of power dynamics during a time of exploration and colonization. As Europe expanded its reach, such images could be interpreted as emblems of control and exploitation. The sea lion becomes a figure embodying a kind of imperial appetite, one that consumes and subjugates. The emotional weight of the image lies in its stark portrayal of survival and predation. "Fries met aan de linkerkant een zeehond die een vogeltje in zijn bek heeft" reminds us of the complex relationship between beauty, brutality, and the exercise of power.