Jason en Medea bij het altaar van Diana 1610 - 1677

This engraving by Magdalena van de Passe, made in the 17th century, depicts Jason and Medea at the altar of Diana. The scene pulsates with symbolic tension, a visual knot of love, betrayal, and destiny. Observe how Medea and Jason clasp hands before the altar of Diana, a gesture laden with both promise and foreboding. The statue of Diana, goddess of the hunt and moon, looms over the scene, holding a bow and arrow, with her dog—symbols of the untamed, and the unknowable, of feminine power. Consider the echoes of this gesture across time, from ancient Roman marriage vows to modern-day unions. The dog, a symbol of fidelity, appears in various contexts, from ancient Egyptian tomb paintings to Renaissance portraits, morphing from guardian of the underworld to a symbol of domestic loyalty. Here, its presence is ironic, for we know the tragic fate that awaits Medea. The emotional weight of this image is undeniable, stirring subconscious memories of love, betrayal, and the inescapable grip of fate. It reminds us that symbols, like ancient pathways, continue to guide our understanding of the human condition.