De zondeval 1687 - 1708

Pieter van der Plas the Younger rendered this interpretation of ‘The Fall’ in ink sometime in the late 17th century. Our eyes are drawn to the apple, offered by Eve to a hesitant Adam, whose hand gestures to the divine. The fruit, heavy with symbolic weight, represents not just temptation but the dawn of consciousness itself. The apple, a symbol of discord, echoes through history, from the myths of Eris to the canvases of Renaissance masters. Consider Adam’s raised hand, a gesture of supplication or perhaps defiance. This motif reverberates through time, a universal plea seen in ancient orators and modern protests alike. Observe how this seeking of knowledge and truth has been adapted to serve new contexts, reflecting our ever-evolving understanding of agency and authority. These potent symbols engage us on a subconscious level, tapping into the wellspring of human experience. This is the cyclical progression of symbols—resurfacing, evolving, and taking on new meanings in each epoch.