Zes monogrammen en bladornament 1690 - 1710

Gerrit Visscher created this print featuring monograms and leaf ornaments. The intertwining initials are emblems of identity, much like ancient Roman monograms used on coins and seals to assert power. The cherubic head at the top reminds us of classical putti, symbols of innocence and divine love, recurring in Renaissance art and beyond. This motif is also related to Eros, the Greek god of love, or Cupid in Roman mythology, thus connecting the ornaments to themes of affection, desire, and beauty, deeply rooted in classical antiquity. The shell beneath echoes the motif of the scallop shell in Botticelli's "Birth of Venus," a symbol of pilgrimage and rebirth, and, in that painting, emblematic of Venus herself. Observe how Visscher’s integration of such long-established symbols engages our collective memory, stirring subconscious associations with love, divinity, and transformation. These motifs resurface and evolve, taking on new meanings across different eras.