Sint-bernard before 1888

Here, we have an image of a Saint Bernard, captured in what seems to be a moment of quiet contemplation. The dog, a symbol of loyalty and rescue, stands poised, its gaze directed downwards as if pondering some unseen element beneath the surface. Throughout history, the dog has been seen as a guardian, a symbol of fidelity and watchfulness; like Cerberus guarding the gates to the underworld, or Anubis guiding souls in ancient Egypt. Here, we see the Saint Bernard breed, historically bred and trained for rescue operations in the Swiss Alps; a true symbol of help. Note how the dog's posture – head lowered, a stance that is shared with the depiction of melancholia and introspection. This posture appears across time in different contexts; from ancient Greek sculptures to Renaissance paintings. This same posture elicits a sense of empathy from the viewer, reflecting our own internal, subconscious processes of memory and emotion. The symbol of the dog continues its cyclical journey through time, evolving, yet always echoing its past.