Elegantia, of tijdschrift van mode, luxe en smaak voor dames, Januari 1809, t.o. pag. 12 : De vliegmachine van Jacob Degen 1809

This print from January 1809 depicts Jacob Degen’s flying machine, an ambitious attempt to realize humanity’s age-old dream of flight. The most striking feature is the pair of large, wing-like structures attached to the figure, along with the large balloon overhead. These wings evoke the myth of Icarus, a symbol of human aspiration and the tragic consequences of overreaching. We see echoes of Da Vinci’s ornithopter designs, yet the human form is central, as if willing the machine to fly. The wings, reminiscent of those in classical depictions of angels or mythological beings, underscore a transcendent desire to escape earthly bounds. This dream of flight persists across cultures and eras. Consider the ancient Indian Vimanas or the flying carpets of Middle Eastern folklore. This image, like these others, taps into a collective yearning, a deep-seated psychological impulse to defy gravity and, perhaps, mortality itself. The enduring appeal of such images lies in their ability to resonate with our most profound aspirations and fears.