Bergachtig landschap met bomen en man met hond 1665 - 1690

Adriaen van Diest created this landscape etching of a mountainous view with a man and dog in the late 17th century. The standing figure with the walking stick is a recurring motif. The staff, a symbol of authority and guidance, has roots stretching back to ancient depictions of Hermes, the messenger of the gods, whose caduceus signified safe passage. We see it echoed in Christian art, in images of St. Christopher, the traveler's patron saint. Consider how the staff has morphed through time; in some iterations, it represents pilgrimage, while in others, it conveys power and dominion. These echoes resonate with a collective memory of wanderers and leaders, deeply ingrained in our subconscious. The image engages viewers on a psychological level, evoking a sense of journey and introspection. The staff, therefore, is not merely an object. It is a symbol loaded with cultural and psychological weight. From classical antiquity to the Baroque era, it continues to resurface.