Wensbrief met figuren uit het sprookje De Witte Slang 1851 - 1914

Constantius Wilhelmus Johannes Baesjou created this “Wensbrief met figuren uit het sprookje De Witte Slang” which translates to "Greeting Card with figures from the fairy tale The White Snake". Notice how the snake, though absent from plain sight, subtly insinuates itself through the entire composition. The narrative unfolds in discrete vignettes, like frames of a myth, around an empty central space. The imagery is drawn from the fairy tale “The White Snake.” The presence of snakes relates to primal themes of transformation, and concealed knowledge, echoing back to ancient symbols of renewal and wisdom—recall the serpent entwined around the staff of Asclepius. Yet, here, it is recast, domesticated into the setting of a Grimm tale. This is how a symbol evolves: from the caduceus of Hermes to the snake in the grass, lurking. The story is charged with unconscious desires and fears; the transformative power of the snake, in its various guises, serves to engage viewers on a deep, subconscious level, resonating with the potent archetypes of death, rebirth, and healing. The image invites us to contemplate the cyclical nature of symbols, their ability to resurface and evolve through different cultural epochs, bearing new yet echoing meanings.