Willemynken valt van rots en Duyfken volgt goede weg naar Jeruzalem 1590 - 1627

This print, by Boëtius Adamsz. Bolswert, presents a moral dichotomy through the visual symbols of a falling figure and a path leading to Jerusalem. The stark contrast is evident in the figure tumbling from the rocks, symbolizing a fall from grace, juxtaposed with the "good way" indicated by the path towards the holy city. Jerusalem itself has long been a potent symbol, not just geographically, but as a representation of spiritual hope and divine promise, an echo of mankind’s deepest desires for redemption. Consider the motif of the "fall," which finds parallels in numerous narratives across cultures. From the biblical story of Adam and Eve to the myths of Icarus, these tales resonate with our collective memory of transgression and its consequences. But here, the path to Jerusalem offers an antithesis, an alternative narrative of aspiration and potential salvation. It suggests the cyclical nature of human experience, the persistent interplay between ruin and redemption that engages us on a subconscious level.