Landschap met drie hazewindhonden 1659 - 1673

Jacob de Jonckheer etched "Landscape with Three Greyhounds". The dogs are not mere pets; they represent loyalty, vigilance, and social status, harking back to ancient symbols of fidelity found in Roman mosaics. The greyhound, with its sleek form, embodies the hunt, a pursuit deeply embedded in human culture. Consider the Egyptian deity Anubis, jackal-headed guardian of the dead, a canine figure associated with guidance and protection on a journey. Fast forward to the medieval era, dogs, specifically greyhounds, became heraldic symbols, adorning coats of arms of noble families. The enduring presence of the canine form in art speaks to a collective memory, a primal connection between humans and animals. It is a psychoanalytic echo, perhaps. The dogs invite viewers to contemplate loyalty, companionship, and the hunt.