Ruïne van een poort met daarop herten, honden, leeuwen, vogels, eekhoorns, vleermuizen, beren, reptielen, bokken en op het fronton een man en vrouw met kinderen 1593 - 1595

This engraving by Wendel Dietterlin, executed around 1593, presents a ruined gate teeming with an astonishing array of creatures: deer, dogs, lions, and more. These are not mere decorations. Animals carry profound symbolic weight across cultures. Consider the lion, a symbol of strength and royalty found in ancient Near Eastern art, then reappearing in medieval heraldry, and even gracing modern national emblems. Its constant presence speaks to a primal human fascination with power. Note how Dietterlin populates his ruin with it. Similarly, the family on the fronton carries a timeless significance. These motifs echo through time, evolving in meaning but retaining their core emotive power. They tap into a deep, collective memory, triggering subconscious associations. This image exemplifies the cyclical nature of cultural symbols, constantly resurfacing and adapting across the vast expanse of history.