De veearts in een apotheek 1668

This print, etched by Gerbrand van den Eeckhout, shows a veterinarian's shop, a place for treating both "menschen en beesten," as the sign says. The mortar and pestle, prominently displayed, have roots stretching back to ancient apothecaries. These tools, seen across numerous cultures, represent not just the preparation of remedies, but also humankind’s enduring quest to understand and manipulate the natural world for healing. This desire to heal, to soothe, is a constant throughout time, an unconscious drive reflected in art and ritual. We find echoes of this in Egyptian hieroglyphs depicting medical practices, or in the healing sanctuaries of ancient Greece, where similar tools would have been employed. Such persistent imagery speaks to a deep-seated, collective memory—a shared human experience of vulnerability and the innate desire to alleviate suffering. It's a non-linear progression, resurfacing, evolving, and adapting, yet always rooted in the fundamental human condition.