De haas en de schildpad 1876 - 1890

Gaston Gélibert’s print depicts the fable "The Hare and the Tortoise" and shows the slow tortoise on the path, contrasted against the hare leaping forward. These animals carry a heavy symbolic weight reaching far back into our cultural memory. The hare, a symbol of swiftness, often embodies arrogance, while the tortoise represents perseverance. From Aesop's fables to La Fontaine, this tale recurs across centuries, each telling offering a lens into societal values. We see similar motifs in ancient Greek pottery, where animal races served as metaphors for human virtues and vices. The emotional resonance of this image lies in its accessibility. It speaks to our shared understanding of competition, success, and failure, engaging viewers on a deeply subconscious level. This fable, like many myths, touches on primal anxieties about our capabilities. Ultimately, the fable of the hare and the tortoise is not merely a linear narrative. It embodies a cyclical progression, resurfacing time and again in art and literature, reflecting and reshaping our understanding of human nature.