Tegenspoed doet ons naar de hemel verlangen

This is an engraving by Gaspar Bouttats, created around 1648-1695. Here, a mother nurses her child in a domestic setting; a universal image of maternal care. But the scene is framed by symbols that elevate it beyond the everyday. Look at the cartouche with fruit and the sculpted faces. Framing the scene, it connects earthly nourishment with classical ideals. The nursing mother is a motif seen across cultures and centuries. Think of the *Kourotrophos* figures of ancient Greece, goddesses nursing infants, symbols of fertility and abundance. Yet, this image is more than a celebration of life. It's titled "Tegenspoedt," or "Adversity." The combination of maternal tenderness and hardship creates a tension, a reminder that life's joys are often intertwined with suffering. The act of breastfeeding, laden with primal significance, becomes a poignant expression of hope amid adversity, an unbroken chain in the face of the vicissitudes of life.