Twee liggende engeltjes leunen op schedel 1594

This small, monochrome engraving was created by Nicolaes de Bruyn. The eye is immediately drawn to the composition’s symmetrical balance, where cherubic figures flank the central rams. The figures are depicted in a classical, almost sculptural style, contrasting with the organic, textural quality of the rams' woolly coats. The artist uses line and form to create a dynamic interplay between life and mortality, youth and maturity. The rams, symbols of virility and strength, are juxtaposed with the playful cherubs, hinting at a deeper symbolic meaning. The spears in the cherubs' hands point towards the rams, perhaps signalling a kind of tension or challenge. De Bruyn’s work invites us to question the fixed categories of life and death. Art here is not a static symbol but an ongoing process that challenges the viewer to explore new meanings within familiar images.