De verjonging van Iolaüs (in doos met 43 tekeningen) 1703 - 1775

Louis Fabritius Dubourg created this sketch, "The Rejuvenation of Iolaus," using pen and grey ink. Here, Hebe, goddess of youth, is flanked by an old Iolaus and a young one. She extends a hand towards Iolaus as if to offer eternal youth. The artist uses a visual language derived from classical antiquity to depict the myth. The theme of rejuvenation appears throughout art history; consider the Fountain of Youth, a motif explored across cultures. Here, the presence of the lion skin alludes to the hero Hercules, drawing the viewer's eye to the themes of heroism, transformation, and the cyclical nature of life. Images such as this have power because they touch upon our own subconscious anxieties and desires. Our collective memory imbues these figures with an emotive charge, sparking an experience that is both personal and universal. The archetype of the hero, his aging friend, and the goddess of youth, touches upon the universal desire to conquer mortality, evoking a sense of longing and recognition in the viewer.