Twee rammen in een weide 1728 - 1756

Ernst Ludwig Creite etched these two rams in a pasture, immortalizing a pastoral scene steeped in ancient symbolism. The ram, an age-old emblem, carries the weight of virility, leadership, and sacrifice across cultures. Consider the golden fleece of Jason’s myth, a symbol of heroic quest and divine favor, or the sacrificial ram offered in ancient rituals, a proxy for human atonement. Even today, we speak of the ‘Ram’ as a zodiac sign, imbuing individuals with the assertive qualities of this animal. Look closely and you’ll notice the contrast between the reclining ram, passive and grounded, and its upright counterpart, alert and watchful. This duality echoes the cyclical nature of life and death, a theme reverberating through centuries of art and ritual. The ram, therefore, is not merely an animal, but a vessel of collective memory.