Zwemmende zwaan 1660

Dirck de Bray created this woodcut of a swan in the mid-17th century. In the foreground, a swan glides, while a city and sailing ships appear in the background. Throughout time, the swan has captured the human imagination, its meaning varying across cultures. In classical mythology, it is associated with love and beauty, often linked to Aphrodite or Venus. This connection continues into the Renaissance, where we often see it as a symbol of purity and grace. Yet, in other tales, such as the legend of Leda and the Swan, it embodies raw, untamed desire. The swan stirs our subconscious, evoking feelings of both the divine and the primal. It appears and reappears, each time subtly altered, bearing the weight of history and memory.