Juno 1585 - 1588

Jacob Matham's engraving presents us with Juno, queen of the gods, attended by her symbolic peacock. The peacock isn’t merely decorative; it's a potent symbol of Juno's all-seeing nature. Its many eyes, scattered across its tail feathers, echo Argus, the giant whom Juno tasked to watch over Io. After Argus was slain, Juno placed his eyes onto the peacock's tail in remembrance. This act speaks to a deeper, more primal impulse: the desire to remember, to record, and to transform loss into enduring symbol. We see such transformations across cultures. Eyes, as symbols, have journeyed through time, from ancient Egyptian amulets to modern-day protective talismans. The subconscious allure remains unchanged; the eye embodies protection, vigilance, and a powerful, almost instinctual, connection to the divine. It's a testament to how deeply ingrained these symbols are within our shared human experience, continually resurfacing, adapting, yet forever resonating with primordial meanings.