Wanddecoratie met nis met een beren-, herten- en zwijnenkop en bovenaan Diana met vijf aangelijnde honden

Wendel Dietterlin created this wall decoration with a niche around 1593, showcasing Diana with her hounds. Diana, the Roman goddess of the hunt, stands triumphantly, bow in hand. Below, heads of bear, deer and boar are symbols of the hunt's spoils. But look closer, and you’ll see Diana is accompanied by five dogs on leashes. The goddess Diana—often depicted with her pack of hunting dogs—is a motif that stretches back to antiquity. Dogs, as symbols, echo through time, from the loyal Anubis guarding Egyptian tombs to the hounds of the medieval hunt. The presence of Diana with hunting spoils and her canine companions evokes a primal memory—a recognition of humanity's enduring relationship with nature. In this context, the dogs might hint at the goddess’s power over the natural world, and the emotional impact of such displays of power—of the hunt, and the hunter—engages us even now. Thus, the image reverberates across centuries, a testament to the cyclical nature of symbols that continually resurface, evolve, and acquire new meanings.