Asher, from the series The Twelve Patriarchs 1550

This print, made by Maarten van Heemskerck around 1550, depicts Asher, son of Jacob, a figure whose blessing was abundance and richness. Note the prominence of the goat being milked: an ancient symbol of fertility and sustenance. The act of extracting milk from the goat not only symbolizes prosperity but also points to the deeper psychological need for nourishment and nurturing. This echoes ancient Mediterranean cultures, where goats were sacred, linked to deities of fertility, and their milk a symbol of life itself. Think of the cornucopia, a symbol of abundance, often depicted overflowing with the bounty of the earth. Here, it is reimagined, connected to the domestic sphere. The semi-nude figure presiding over the scene can be seen in Roman art, where idealized figures embody qualities like abundance, echoing in the Renaissance celebration of the human form. These symbols resurface, evolving to represent both physical and spiritual nourishment.