Titelpagina voor het derde deel van de viervoeters 1809 - 1814

This is the title page for the third volume of quadrupeds, made by Joseph van Huerne. The script, presented in Dutch, Latin, and French, bears the weight of centuries of scholarly tradition. But what are quadrupeds if not a symbol themselves? Think of the Lion of Saint Mark or the horses of the Apocalypse. Animals throughout art history have been used as symbols, reflecting our primal connections. The very act of classification—of naming and ordering these creatures—echoes humanity's endless quest to impose order on the natural world. From cave paintings to heraldry, quadrupeds, these four-legged creatures, emerge as powerful symbols. Their depiction taps into our collective unconscious. We project our fears, hopes, and desires onto them. They are surrogates for the drama of human existence, endlessly evolving, yet always retaining a link to our past.