Psyche verzamelt gouden wol c. 1530 - 1560

This engraving by the Master of the Die depicts Psyche collecting golden wool. Note the river and grove, key symbols in Psyche's myth. The river is a boundary, a threshold she must cross. The grove, a site of both danger and transformation. Consider the enduring image of the golden fleece, sought after by Jason and the Argonauts. Here, the golden wool embodies not just wealth but a divine ordeal. This symbol evolves over time. In medieval tapestries, fleece denoted prosperity. Yet, beneath the surface, we can trace echoes of ancient anxieties. In a broader cultural context, fleece has carried layers of meaning. Its extraction can be related to the myth of the "heroic quest" or "the golden mean", as we subconsciously associate wealth with happiness. As viewers, we respond to the tension between what is visible and what remains hidden, engaging our own psyches. Through history, the symbol is a cyclical journey that continues to transform.