Ornamenten met een altaar en een stier c. 1701

This is Jacob Toorenvliet's drawing of ornaments with an altar and a bull. The scene is reflective of a time when symbols carried potent cultural weight. The altar, crowned with fire, evokes ideas of sacrifice and reverence – concepts deeply embedded in the religious practices of the 17th and 18th centuries. Below, we see a bull, an animal often associated with strength, virility, and, in some cultures, divinity. Consider the power dynamics at play: who gets to offer sacrifices, and for what gains? Toorenvliet renders these symbols with meticulous detail, inviting us to ponder the stories they tell. These images serve as powerful reminders of how societies use symbols to construct and reinforce their values. In this light, the artwork prompts questions about how we, today, engage with symbols and the narratives they perpetuate.