Drie schikgodinnen in een landschap 1587

"Drie schikgodinnen in een landschap," or "Three Goddesses of Destiny in a Landscape," was created by Jacob Matham in the late 16th or early 17th century. Matham, working in the Dutch Republic, engages with classical mythology during a time of religious and political upheaval. The engraving depicts the three Fates, goddesses who preside over the birth, life, and death of humans. We see them here as arbiters of human destiny, not merely as passive figures but as powerful, even muscular, women actively shaping mortal lives. The Fates challenge traditional representations of femininity, embodying strength and agency in a patriarchal society. Matham’s detailed rendering invites us to consider how societal structures intersect with individual fates. The landscape around them feels both idyllic and imposing, mirroring the dual nature of destiny itself. In "Drie schikgodinnen in een landschap" we encounter a visualization of control that encourages us to reflect on the narratives that shape our understanding of power, gender, and the paths we are destined to take.