Vrouwenfiguur op vier hoeven op een globe 1886

This etching by Félicien Rops presents a woman standing atop a globe, her lower body merging into that of four beasts. The globe is an ancient symbol of dominion, often seen in depictions of emperors and gods, representing power over the world. But here, the woman's hybrid form and bestial qualities introduce a layer of dark ambivalence. We see echoes of the ancient lamia or siren, figures whose beauty masks a savage nature. This transformation reminds us of similar metamorphoses in Ovid, where humans blur into animals under the influence of the gods. Consider the minotaur, a creature born of unnatural union, or the sphinx, a hybrid guardian of arcane knowledge. Rops taps into this primal fear of the boundary between human and animal, intellect and instinct, control and chaos. He engages the viewer on a subconscious level, stirring both fascination and unease. This image resonates with the cyclical progression of symbols, each resurfacing with new meanings across history.