Gevleugelde zeehond die achterom kijkt c. 1526 - 1606

This engraving by Adam Fuchs depicts a winged sea creature, a mythical hybrid with the forequarters of a lion and the tail of a fish. This fantastic being, looking back over its shoulder, embodies the fearsome yet elegant spirit of the seas. Such hybrid creatures have long populated the human imagination. We find them in ancient Mesopotamian art, in the form of lamassu, winged bulls with human heads, guardians of cities and temples. In Greek mythology, the hippocampus, a horse with the tail of a fish, pulls the chariot of Poseidon, symbolizing power over the seas. Even in heraldry, beasts like the griffin symbolize strength and vigilance. The sea creature, a potent symbol of the subconscious, surfaces in our dreams and myths, embodying the untamed forces of nature and the hidden depths of the human psyche. It’s a reminder that while civilizations rise and fall, some primal images endure, constantly reborn in our collective memory.