Pastoor en boerenvrouw 1641

This engraving, made by Crispijn van de Passe the Younger, presents us with two figures: a pastor and a farmer's wife. Notice the pastor’s elaborate attire, a symbol of his spiritual authority, juxtaposed with the rural simplicity of the woman. These contrasting images speak to the timeless dance between spiritual guidance and earthly desires. The pastor, ostensibly a shepherd of souls, is mirrored by the farmer's wife, rooted in the land. One cannot help but think of the figure of the shepherd as it appears in Ancient Greece as 'psycopompos' (guide of souls). The meaning has now shifted. Here the pastor has become a wolf in sheep's clothing, as the dutch text underneath the image tells us. The contrast between them is laden with psychological tension, a silent narrative of temptation and morality, engaging us on a subconscious level, inviting us to reflect on the human condition. Such dualities resurface throughout history, each time colored by the socio-cultural milieu.