Plaque met vers op het walvisbeen van Jan Huygen van Linschoten in het stadhuis van Haarlem, 1596 1879

Pieter van Looy created this drawing of the Plaque met vers op het walvisbeen of Jan Huygen van Linschoten in 1896. The plaque, framed by rich ornamentation, presents us with a symbolic tableau steeped in historical and cultural meanings. Note the figures of Venus and Cupid on either side. These figures are powerful symbols that reach back to antiquity, representing love and desire. Venus, the Roman goddess, often appears with her son Cupid, whose arrows incite feelings of love, both beautiful and destructive. Their presence here perhaps alludes to themes of exploration and discovery. Consider how these motifs have journeyed through time, appearing in countless artworks from Botticelli's *Birth of Venus* to Renaissance depictions of the *Allegory of Venus*. Over the centuries, the goddess has been reinvented, her image adapted to different cultural sensibilities. The persistence of these symbols speaks to our deep-seated fascination with love, beauty, and the human form. Their emotional impact remains undiminished, engaging viewers across the ages on a primal, subconscious level. As cultural memory evolves, so too does the meaning we project onto these timeless images, creating an unending dialogue between past and present.