Plate 33: A "Simivulpa" (Opossum?) and an Ibex c. 1575 - 1580

Joris Hoefnagel rendered this image of an opossum and ibex in meticulous detail. Observe the opossum with its young, a symbol of fertility and maternal care, reminiscent of ancient fertility goddesses. Here, it’s juxtaposed with the ibex, a creature often associated with virility and untamed wilderness. Consider the Minoan depictions of leaping bulls, emblems of power and agility, echoing through the ages. This motif finds its resonance in the ibex’s dynamic posture, a symbol of strength, but also, perhaps, of the untamed aspects of the human psyche. The image stirs primal echoes. The opossum’s nurturing presence and the ibex's powerful leap, engage with our collective memory, a potent reminder of the intertwined forces of nature, instinct, and the subconscious drives that shape our perceptions. These symbols have journeyed through time, transformed yet still resonant.