Cognitio 

This is "Cognitio" an engraving by Sebald Beham, created around the mid-16th century. The figure stands almost statically. The engraving shows a winged, laurel-crowned allegorical figure, ‘Cognitio’ or ‘Knowledge’ pointing towards a divine presence. She is surrounded by symbols of learning: books, a writing stylus, and a vase holding what appears to be reeds. Notice the composition; there is a contrast between the dark, solid lines of the figure and the finer, lighter marks used to indicate the background and sky. The marks create a sense of depth but it is really the figure which dominates. The cross-hatching creates volume and texture. The figure's idealized form references classical antiquity, yet its depiction is grounded in the detailed realism characteristic of the Northern Renaissance. This engraving operates within a complex framework, where the figure is less about individual portraiture and more about the symbolic representation of knowledge. It’s a sign, a carrier of cultural values related to learning and divine wisdom. The figure acts as a focal point around which these ideas converge. The engraving invites us to reflect on how we perceive and value knowledge itself.