Blauwe kever 1690 - 1700

This is Jan Augustin van der Goes' 'Blue Beetle', an undated watercolor and gouache on vellum. What may seem like a simple naturalistic study carries a weighty cultural resonance. Consider the beetle itself. In ancient Egypt, the scarab beetle was a potent symbol of rebirth and regeneration, pushing the sun across the sky as it rolled its dung ball. This motif resurfaces through the ages, in Roman amulets and Renaissance emblems, each time imbued with the same promise of cyclical renewal. Look at the vivid blue, reminiscent of lapis lazuli, a stone associated with royalty, divinity, and the heavens. How might this color choice amplify the beetle's symbolic power, transforming it from a mere insect into a symbol of cosmic significance? The image acts as a powerful force, engaging us on a subconscious level. The humble beetle, therefore, is anything but simple; it is a vessel carrying the collective memory of civilizations.