Personificatie van de Republiek der Nederlanden zittend op een leeuw 1667 - 1669

Hendrik Bary made this print portraying the Dutch Republic sometime around the late 17th century. At its center sits a regal woman embodying the Republic, her hand resting assuredly on a lion, a symbol of strength and courage used through time to evoke nobility and power. Around her, we see other figures loaded with symbolic meaning. Note the figure of Death with his scythe, a memento mori, urging us to remember our mortality. This motif echoes across centuries, from medieval danse macabre imagery to modern-day symbols of fleeting existence. Yet here, it is not morbid, but serves as a reminder of the preciousness of the present, juxtaposed with the figure of artistic inspiration, ready to immortalize the Republic’s deeds. Consider how these symbols tap into our collective memory. The lion, the scythe, the muse—each resonates with layers of cultural and psychological meaning, engaging us in a dialogue that spans time. These symbols recur, transform, and reemerge. Their emotional resonance a powerful force that shapes and reflects our shared human experience.