Afrika 1547 - 1622

Philips Galle created this print, Afrika, sometime around 1600. The central figure is a lightly draped woman, likely a personification of the African continent. The elephant and lion beside her represent Africa's exotic fauna, symbols that have permeated Western imagination for centuries. Note how the serpent entwined around the tree echoes the motif of the Garden of Eden. This could symbolize the European perception of Africa as untamed and primal. But look closer, and we see the echo of the serpent from the caduceus, the staff of Hermes, which represents medicine and commerce, suggesting complex, layered meanings. These symbols persist and transform across time. Consider how the serpent appears in ancient Greek mythology or in indigenous African religions. Each context imbues the symbol with new layers of meaning, creating a powerful psychological image. This image engages us on a subconscious level, tapping into our collective memory of Africa as a land of both promise and peril.