Titelpagina voor: J. de La Fontaine, Fabelen, 1786

Reinier Vinkeles engraved this title page for La Fontaine's Fables in 1786. Here, we observe a memorial crowned with a lyre, the classical symbol of music and poetry. This lyre, an emblem of Apollo, resonates deeply within the cultural memory of Europe, evoking a sense of harmony, order, and enlightenment. Yet, consider its stark contrast to the raw, untamed passions unleashed in the fables themselves. One might recall instances in ancient Greece where the lyre, though a symbol of Apollonian virtue, was often juxtaposed with the ecstatic, Dionysian revelry. The circular frame on the monument has no inscription, as if beckoning the viewer to participate in the fable. This image engages us on a subconscious level, evoking a mixture of nostalgia, intellectual curiosity, and perhaps, a hint of melancholic reflection on the enduring power of storytelling. In our continuous, cyclical return to classicism, symbols are recontextualized to echo throughout history and acquire new meanings.