Fries met links en rechts het bovenlichaam van een vrouw c. 1500 - 1535

This small, anonymous etching presents us with a decorative frieze flanked by the upper bodies of women. The twin cornucopias at the center, overflowing with stylized leaves and blossoms, speak of abundance and fertility, a motif stretching back to ancient Greece and Rome. These horns of plenty, symbols of prosperity, find echoes in countless later works, adorning coats of arms and architectural details. Yet, here they are tempered by the presence of the female figures, their bodies dissolving into the very foliage that springs from the cornucopias. Is this a simple celebration of nature's bounty, or does it hint at something deeper? Consider the way the female form merges with the organic, echoing the ancient archetype of the earth mother, a figure of life-giving power. This symbol progresses non-linearly, and has resurfaced, evolved, and taken on new meanings in different historical contexts. The subconscious association of womanhood with nature’s regenerative force perhaps engages us on a profound, even primal level.