Bad met dolfijnen en medaillon 1772 - 1779

This is a drawing by Nicolas Dupin, made in the 18th century, depicting a bath ornamented with dolphins and a medallion. Note how the dolphin motif, symbolizing renewal and transformation, flanks the medallion in a style reminiscent of ancient Roman fountains. This echoes themes of purification and rejuvenation, harking back to the dolphin's association with Venus, the goddess of love and beauty, who herself emerged from the sea. These dolphins, however, are not merely decorative; they embody a cultural memory linking the bath to classical ideals of beauty and the life-giving properties of water. Consider the psychological weight of water rituals across cultures, promising a fresh start, a cleansing of both body and spirit. It's a potent image that engages the viewer on a subconscious level, evoking the eternal cycle of life, death, and rebirth. Thus, the symbol of the dolphin, in its non-linear, cyclical progression, has resurfaced, evolved, and taken on new meanings in different historical contexts.