Bottle c. 18th century

This glass bottle, crafted by an anonymous artist, features several compelling motifs, including a horse, a sun, waves, and text. The horse—often a symbol of power, virility, and freedom—can be traced back to antiquity, where it was associated with gods and heroes. The sun, a life-giver and source of illumination, has been revered across cultures, from ancient Egypt to the Incas. Here, the presence of the horse evokes a sense of dynamism and vitality, while the sun suggests enlightenment and warmth. The waves imply movement and the cyclical nature of life. The text—illegible to modern eyes—imbues the bottle with a personal, perhaps even mystical, quality. Together, these symbols speak to the enduring human fascination with nature, power, and the mysteries of existence. The swirling patterns resonate with the Laocoön's writhing agony, binding us to a shared, subconscious expression across time. The bottle, like our cultural memory, holds the echoes of ages past, waiting to be rediscovered.