Schip gemaakt van vulkanisch gesteente met Ceres en Argonauten c. 1635

This engraving depicts a ship made of volcanic rock carrying Ceres and the Argonauts. Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture, fertility and nourishment, stands prominently, symbolizing life's abundance and the earth’s generative power. Consider how Ceres's image evolved from Demeter, the Greek goddess, each embodying earth's life-sustaining forces, revered in antiquity. This iconography continues with the Christian Madonna, a symbol of divine motherhood and nurturing. The cyclical rebirth in nature parallels spiritual renewal, deeply embedded in our collective consciousness. The image has an emotional resonance: the journey on the ship, escorted by Polyphemus and Palemonius, is a visual metaphor for life's voyage, guided by divine favor and facing formidable challenges. The symbols evoke a deep, subconscious connection to themes of survival, hope, and the enduring human quest for meaning.