Twee regels van gebeeldhouwd en verguld lindehout 1689

These two gilded linden wood ornaments, of unknown authorship, present us with a fascinating study in recurring motifs. Notice the acanthus leaves, symbols of endurance and immortality, central to classical ornamentation. The motif appears in ancient Greek architecture, adorning Corinthian columns, but also resurfaces in Romanesque friezes, Renaissance paintings, and even Art Nouveau designs. And look at the shell form at the center. This is the 'concha veneris', the shell of Venus, the Roman goddess of love, symbolizing fertility and regeneration. One finds it echoed in Botticelli's "Birth of Venus," where the goddess emerges from a giant scallop shell. These motifs are not mere decoration; they are a visual language. The persistent recurrence of such symbols across time and cultures suggests a powerful collective memory at play, a psychological need to connect with archetypal forms and ideas. Their constant reappearance speaks to the enduring human fascination with beauty, immortality, and the cyclical nature of life itself.