Zie hier drie vaderen van de eerste wereld, met / De drie aartsvaderen van Isrel, vóór de wet [(...)] 1806 - 1830

This print, made by Johan Noman, presents a pyramidal structure of figures, culminating in a representation of the Holy Trinity. At the base, we see Adam and Eve flanking the Tree of Knowledge. This recalls the Fall, a foundational narrative in Western consciousness. The figures ascend, visually layering the foundations of Christian faith. The arrangement creates a genealogy of faith, echoing similar family trees found across cultures, like ancestral lineage charts in medieval tapestries. This recurring motif speaks to humanity's enduring need to map its origins. Consider the serpent coiled around the tree. It’s a symbol of temptation, and it’s not unique to Christian iconography. Serpents appear in ancient Greek myths as guardians of wisdom, their forms shifting from menace to enlightenment. This duality reveals a deeper psychological tension: our simultaneous fear of and fascination with forbidden knowledge. Here, Noman presents the viewer with a symbolic narrative, inviting us to grapple with the past, present, and cyclical nature of belief.