Drukkersmerk met twee leeuwen 1502 - 1547

This woodcut print presents a printer's mark featuring two lions. Note the prominent circle enclosing a cross and intertwined letters, circumscribed by a Latin inscription, symbolizing eternity and divine authority, common motifs in such emblems. The lions, symbols of courage and strength, are reminiscent of heraldic traditions, guarding the central elements. Lions have been associated with royalty and power since antiquity, from Mesopotamian art to the Lion Gate of Mycenae, charged with symbolic weight. This emblem, with its intertwined symbols, reveals a fascinating evolution of visual language. Consider the serpent Ouroboros, the snake eating its tail—an emblem of cyclical time, death and rebirth—echoed in alchemical and Gnostic traditions. The psychological resonance of these symbols lies in their capacity to evoke deep-seated human experiences, the eternal cycle of existence, and the interplay between divine authority and earthly power. It’s an ongoing, cyclical progression, one that resurfaces, evolves, and takes on new meanings.