Muskusroos 1617

Crispijn van de Passe the Younger rendered this "Muskusroos" with etching and engraving. Observe how the rose, a symbol of love and beauty since antiquity, is captured here with botanical precision. The rose motif carries a rich cultural weight across time. In ancient Greece, it was associated with Aphrodite, the goddess of love. Later, in Christian iconography, the rose became a symbol of the Virgin Mary, representing divine love and purity. Consider the persistence of this motif. Even today, roses are exchanged as tokens of affection, bearing traces of their historical and mythological significance. Through the collective memory, the rose, from Sappho’s verses to a lover's bouquet, continues to evoke profound emotional connections. It's a testament to how symbols can transcend time, their meanings shaped and reshaped by the currents of human experience.