Landschap met kameleon 1672

Albert Flamen’s small print of a chameleon in a landscape was made sometime in the 17th century. It’s a simple image, but it speaks volumes about how the Dutch, and Europeans more generally, were beginning to understand the world around them. As global trade expanded, so did the concept of identity, now challenged by encounters with new cultures and species. The chameleon, known for its ability to change color, becomes a metaphor for this era of transformation. "Mutable Semper," or "Always Changing," is inscribed above the chameleon, capturing the essence of a world in flux. Below, "Rien de constant," or "Nothing is constant," reinforces this theme of impermanence. The chameleon then, embodies the fluidity of identity and the instability of the times. It asks us: In a world where everything is constantly changing, how do we define ourselves?