Man met een narrenkap 1614 - 1648

This engraving, "Man with a Fool's Cap," was made by Andries Stock. It shows a figure in a jester's hat pointing, set against a landscape with symbolic undertones. The jester is a recurring figure throughout history, from ancient Roman festivals to medieval courts. Often, he's a symbol of folly, madness, and irreverence, a sanctioned outlet for social critique. Notice how Stock’s jester points, a gesture of accusation or direction that echoes across epochs. Think of John the Baptist pointing towards salvation in Renaissance paintings, or even a modern political cartoon. The landscape, too, speaks volumes, it is a stark reminder of our human condition, poised between the solid earth and the infinite sea. The symbol of the fool continues its non-linear progression, resurfacing in modern literature, art, and psychoanalysis, each time reflecting our evolving understanding of the human psyche and its contradictions.