Agaatpissebed, copepode en borstelworm 1778

Robbert Muys rendered these invertebrates with ink between the 18th and 19th centuries. These detailed studies of nature are brimming with cultural and symbolic weight. Consider the segmented bodies and the antenna-like appendages of these creatures; such forms echo the ancient symbol of the serpent. In various cultures, the serpent embodies transformation, healing, and sometimes chaos. Think of the Ouroboros, the snake eating its own tail, an emblem of cyclical existence and renewal. The writhing, elongated forms of these invertebrates resonate with this primal imagery. One might recall the caduceus, where snakes intertwine around a staff, a symbol now associated with medicine. Yet, originally, it represented Hermes, the messenger god, linking the realms of the mortal and divine, reminding us that symbols evolve, their meanings layered over time. The meticulous rendering of these creatures, with their strange, unsettling beauty, evokes a mix of fascination and unease. It speaks to our complex relationship with the natural world, a world both wondrous and, at times, repulsive.