Job offert een lam voor de zonden van zijn kinderen 1563 - 1633

This engraving by Philips Galle depicts Job offering a lamb for the sins of his children. The dominant symbol here is the sacrificial lamb, an ancient motif representing atonement and purification. The practice of animal sacrifice stretches back to prehistory, appearing in cultures from the Near East to Greece. This ritual embodies the idea of transferring sin or impurity onto an animal, offering it to the divine to restore balance. We see echoes of this in the Greek myth of Iphigenia, sacrificed to appease Artemis, or in the Passover lamb of Jewish tradition. Over time, the lamb has evolved into a potent symbol within Christianity, representing Christ's sacrifice for humanity. The emotional weight of this image is undeniable, engaging viewers on a subconscious level through shared cultural memory. The act of sacrifice taps into primal fears and desires, expressing a deep-seated need for redemption. This symbol continues its cyclical journey through history, perpetually evolving, resurfacing, and acquiring new layers of meaning across diverse cultural landscapes.