Pelikaan die zijn jongen met eigen bloed voedt 1661

Curator: Oh, yes, Langweer's "Pelikaan die zijn jongen met eigen bloed voedt" from 1661. What a potent image rendered in delicate engraving. I see an allegory so raw, so vulnerable, it practically whispers from the paper. What strikes you about it? Editor: I’m immediately drawn to the pelican at the center. It’s a striking image—noble, yet somehow tragic, with that wreath around it. The figures to each side almost seem like afterthoughts. I’m curious, what layers of meaning were engravers aiming for? Curator: Ah, that central image! For centuries, the pelican piercing its own breast to feed its young has symbolized ultimate sacrifice—selfless love and, perhaps most potently in 17th-century Europe, Christ's sacrifice. See how it nests within that garland—it elevates it to a sign. The figures represent love and knowledge as if competing as guiding spirits. Think of it as a visual sermon, each element carefully chosen to evoke specific emotions and moral contemplation. Does that framework change how you perceive the characters at all? Editor: Definitely! Seeing it in that historical context makes it so much richer. They now feel less like afterthoughts and more like dueling influences in life. Curator: Precisely! This wasn’t just decoration; it was a way to impart crucial values. It makes you wonder about the power of such images back then, doesn't it? A far cry from our fleeting digital age. Editor: It really does! Thinking about its impact then versus now is really compelling. Thank you.