Drie vissen Possibly 1872

This drawing of three fish was made by Johannes Tavenraat in the late nineteenth century. The fish, seemingly simple, carries within it a sea of historical and cultural significance. Consider its ancient symbolism: in early Christian art, the fish, or "ichthys," became a coded symbol for Christ himself. This symbol, born from persecution, allowed early believers to recognize one another. The motif appears throughout different eras, for example in Roman mosaics, where the fish is a decorative symbol of wealth and abundance, linked to Neptune, the god of the sea. But its evolution doesn't end there. The fish surfaces in folk traditions as a bringer of good fortune, a symbol of fertility. In this image, we can see a connection to these earlier interpretations, a powerful force engaging viewers on a deep, subconscious level. The humble fish, drawn here with simple strokes, embodies this non-linear progression, resurfacing, evolving, and taking on new meanings across time.