Staande en liggende geit of bok 1666 - 1726

This is an anonymous print depicting a standing and a reclining goat. The animal, with its prominent horns, has carried a complex symbolic weight across cultures and time. The goat, often linked to Dionysus or Pan in ancient Greece, embodies primal instincts. We see echoes of this in later depictions of the Devil, who is frequently rendered with goat-like features. This symbol, rooted in fertility rites and wild abandon, has been transformed over centuries, becoming entwined with notions of sin and temptation. Yet, observe the tranquil posture of the reclining goat. Does it suggest a calming of these wilder associations? Or perhaps an embrace of nature's untamed spirit? The image invites us to consider the duality inherent in such symbols. The goat’s journey through cultural memory—from sacred beast to scapegoat and back again—reveals the fluidity of meaning, shaped by our collective fears, desires, and subconscious yearnings.