Tegenspoed wordt door God ondersteund 1679

This is an etching made by Gaspar Bouttats in the late 17th century, titled "Adversity is Supported by God." It depicts a man juggling glass goblets; a precarious act made all the more meaningful by the title. The goblets, symbols of luxury and fragility, hover mid-air, representing the delicate balance between fortune and ruin. This motif of precariousness reminds me of the allegories of Fortuna, the Roman goddess of fortune, often depicted with a wheel to illustrate life's unpredictable nature. It is an eternal image of human existence: a dance with fate. Here, though, the inscription tells us that God supports adversity. The anxiety of the figure juggling the goblets is contrasted with the hope of divine intervention. This engraving reflects a culture grappling with uncertainty, seeking solace in faith and the enduring power of symbols to articulate complex human experiences. It also suggests that subconscious fears and hopes are often projected onto material objects, investing them with a powerful emotional charge.