Arend 1594

Jacques de Fornazeris created this engraving called ‘Arend’ depicting an eagle, a symbol that soars through history. The eagle, a symbol of power, courage, and divine favor, has been revered across cultures from the Roman Empire to the Americas. Here, it stands in profile alongside a small bird perched on a branch, emphasizing the contrast between might and meekness. Consider how the eagle appears elsewhere: as the emblem of emperors, adorning currency, or as a heraldic charge on noble coats of arms. Its evolution reveals much about shifting ideals of authority and national identity. The powerful bird evokes primal emotions—awe, fear, and respect—tapping into our collective subconscious. The endurance of such symbols demonstrates the cyclical nature of cultural memory, where images are continually reinterpreted and imbued with new significance. The eagle in Fornazeris's print is not merely a bird, but a potent signifier, eternally reborn in the human imagination.