Embleem: lier 1722

This emblem, etched by Jan Goeree in 1722, depicts a scene from the Old Testament: David playing his harp before King Saul. The harp is the key to unlocking this image. Here, it represents harmony, healing, and divine favor, as David’s music soothes Saul’s tormented spirit. Yet, the harp’s symbolism is far from linear. We see it echoed in Orpheus's lyre, which could charm even the gods of the underworld. But consider, too, how Nero, fiddling while Rome burned, twisted music into a symbol of callous indifference. Such transformations reveal how cultural memory operates. An object, initially imbued with positive associations, can, through historical events and shifts in collective consciousness, become its very antithesis. The image's power lies in its ability to tap into our collective subconscious, reminding us that symbols are never fixed but are always evolving, reflecting the complex interplay between the past and the present.