Drukkersmerk voor de officina Plantiniana c. 17th century

This is an anonymous printer's mark for the Officina Plantiniana, an engraving. This emblem encapsulates the ethos of a 16th-century printing house, a period of immense cultural and intellectual transformation in Europe. Here, labor is not just work, but the foundation of knowledge and progress. The compass held by the hand symbolizes precision and the pursuit of knowledge, reflecting the era's humanist ideals and the rise of scientific inquiry. The motto "Labore et Constantia" or Through Labor and Constancy, reflects a world view where hard work was considered essential for societal advancement. On either side stand figures emblematic of the virtues deemed essential to the printing trade. We see a man carrying wheat and a shovel to represent labor and the Roman goddess Minerva. The figure of Minerva may represent wisdom, essential to the production and dissemination of knowledge. The emotional resonance of this artwork lies in its celebration of human endeavor.