Speculum Romanae Magnificentiae: Wild Animals, from antique wall paintings, plate 2 1547

This engraving, part of the "Speculum Romanae Magnificentiae," revives images of wild animals from ancient Roman wall paintings. Here, the artists capture a menagerie—an elephant, lions, and other exotic beasts, each carrying layers of symbolic weight. Consider the lion, a symbol of power and dominion since antiquity. We see the image of the lion throughout history, from the Ishtar Gate of Babylon to the heraldic emblems of European royalty. Lions also appear in the bible, and the early Christians adopted the symbol to represent Christ. Over time, this symbol has been reshaped, embodying shifting notions of strength. These images tap into our collective memory, resonating with primal associations of the wild. The attempt to capture and catalogue nature reflects the enduring human desire to understand the world around us. The image speaks to the cyclical nature of cultural memory, where symbols resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings across time.