Casket with allegories of the Four Elements 1645 - 1655

This casket with allegories of the Four Elements was made by Adam Eck in the 17th century, and it’s adorned with symbols of earth, water, air, and fire, representing the fundamental components of the cosmos in Renaissance thought. Observe how these elements are embodied in classical figures and scenes. Consider the representation of water with Neptune, the god of the sea, and his dominion over the oceans. This echoes ancient Roman mosaics, where Neptune's commanding presence symbolized power and fertility. Yet, here, Neptune is confined to the surface of a wooden box. A box that, through these icons, becomes a microcosm of the universe. The persistent recurrence of elemental symbols across millennia speaks to our collective subconscious, and the enduring human need to understand and categorize the world around us. It is the life of the images themselves, persisting and evolving through time. Eck's casket serves as a reminder of the continuous dialogue between past and present.