Jongens wilt gy vogels koopen / Waarom zoudt gy verder loopen? [(...)] 1723 - 1748

This print by Isaak van der Putte depicts various birds, each carrying symbolic weight rooted in folklore and natural history. Birds, across cultures, often symbolize the soul, freedom, or act as messengers between the earthly and divine realms. Consider the image of the pelican, traditionally believed to wound its own breast to feed its young with its blood. This motif appears throughout Christian art as an allegory of Christ's sacrifice and the Eucharist. Yet, long before Christian adoption, the pelican was a powerful symbol in ancient Egypt, associated with rebirth and resurrection. This symbol’s evolution, transformation, and migration through time reflects the human capacity to imbue natural forms with profound psychological and spiritual meaning. Observe the image of the ostrich, in some contexts symbolizing ignorance or foolishness, in others, justice. The persistence and transformation of these symbolic representations speak to a deeper, collective memory, and the enduring human need to find meaning in the natural world. Each bird here, therefore, is not merely a visual representation, but a vessel carrying layers of cultural and emotional significance.