Standing Sheep and Two Lambs 1685

This print of a sheep and two lambs was made by Jan van der Meer the Younger, sometime between 1656 and 1705. What do we see here? The ewe, standing, nourishing her young, as another sheep rests nearby. The lamb, a tender symbol of innocence and purity. Throughout history, the lamb has been a potent symbol in both religious and secular contexts. Consider the "Agnus Dei," the Lamb of God, a representation of Christ, innocent and sacrificial, a motif seen in countless Christian artworks from the catacombs to Renaissance altarpieces. But even before Christianity, the lamb held sacred significance in pagan rituals, often associated with fertility and new beginnings. In van der Meer's pastoral scene, the lamb evokes a sense of tranquility, but also carries echoes of its deeper symbolic weight, subtly reminding us of themes of sacrifice, renewal, and the cyclical nature of life. The image subtly touches on the collective subconscious, where these primal symbols reside. It reminds us that even in the quietest of moments, history whispers.