Snake with a Butterfly after 1688

Curator: The Harvard Art Museums hold this captivating watercolor and graphite work, "Snake with a Butterfly," by Johannes Teyler. Editor: There’s a palpable tension in this image; the open mouth of the snake and the butterfly's placement create a sense of impending doom. Curator: Consider how the snake, often a symbol of transformation and healing, is positioned here. Is it a threat, or is its relationship with the butterfly more nuanced than we initially perceive? Editor: The butterfly is a symbol of metamorphosis, but here it's a potential victim. Teyler is inviting us to reflect on life's fragility. Curator: Teyler’s choice to depict these creatures without a broader environment further accentuates their symbolic weight, leaving the viewer to grapple with these powerful allegories. Editor: It makes one consider the butterfly as a representation of the soul, facing mortality. What do you think? Curator: Indeed, it encourages us to contemplate the dualities of life and death, destruction and rebirth.