Salie en wilde kastanje 1617

Crispijn van de Passe II rendered this engraving of sage and chestnut around the mid-17th century. The botanical illustration bears the scientific impulse of its age. Yet, the depiction of the chestnut—with its formidable spiky shell—resonates with deeper, more primal meanings. Consider the chestnut's association with protection and resilience. Its spiky exterior, a defense against the outside world, echoes in the thorny crowns of medieval depictions of Christ, where suffering is embraced. The motif of the spiky protective barrier is found across cultures—from the protective scales of dragons to the thorny bushes surrounding Sleeping Beauty's castle. Reflect on the interplay between the exposed chestnut within its protective shell and the vulnerability of human emotions. It serves as a potent symbol of our own defenses. Like these botanical specimens, symbols transcend time, evolving yet remaining rooted in our shared human experience.