Allegorie op de onenigheid tussen Amsterdam en Willem III, 1684 1684

This print, made in Amsterdam in 1684 by Jan Marlois, allegorically depicts the discord between Amsterdam and William III through the fable of the cows, the shepherd, and the wolf. A herd of plump cows, symbols of prosperity, are led by a shepherd while a menacing wolf lurks nearby. This imagery echoes ancient motifs where livestock represent wealth and well-being, tended by a guardian, but threatened by external forces. The wolf, a universal symbol of greed and danger, appears across cultures, from the Nordic Fenrir to the Roman she-wolf. The shepherd's negligence invites peril, a recurring theme in art and literature, cautioning against complacency. It's a primal fear—the vulnerability of plenty to predation, resonating deeply within our collective psyche. The print captures a moment of precarious balance, a visual embodiment of anxiety over the protection of communal wealth. The non-linear trajectory of symbols reflects our ongoing struggle to protect prosperity from those who seek to devour it.