Damon en Chloris 1740 - 1778

Johann Georg Lorenz Rugendas crafted this allegory, “Damon en Chloris,” using etching techniques. The scene is dominated by pastoral imagery. We see shepherds, cherubic figures, and lush flora. The shepherd’s staff, an ancient symbol, extends back to Hermes's caduceus in Greek antiquity. It signifies guidance, protection, and the pastoral life. The staff is more than a tool for tending sheep; it is a scepter of authority in a rustic realm, echoing symbols of power from royal courts. This echoes the way such symbols recur across millennia. Consider the image of Cupid, a symbol of love, here almost melancholic. Love, often depicted as joyous, hints at underlying anxieties and the dual nature of Cupid himself. The staff and the cherubic figure, archetypes of authority and love, weave through history. The pastoral and idyllic, therefore, serves as a setting to explore love, authority and the passage of time.