Caryatidum (...) sive Athlantidum Multiformium (...) 1527 - 1591

Hans Vredeman de Vries created this series of engravings of hybrid Caryatids and Atlantes, which sit in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. These figures, part human and part architectural support, carry a heavy load of cultural memory. We see the echo of the ancient Greek Caryatids, female figures used as architectural supports on the Acropolis, but here they are reimagined through a Renaissance lens. The snake, a potent symbol of transformation and primal energy, coils around several columns. This is a motif we've seen throughout time, from the serpent in the Garden of Eden to the caduceus of Hermes. Each one represents a different nuance of the symbol. Look at the figure whose body morphs into a fish tail, reminiscent of ancient sea deities like Dagon. These recurring symbols, charged with emotional power, tap into our collective subconscious. The Caryatids are reinterpreted as bizarre, hybrid creatures. Their appearance reminds us of the cyclical, non-linear progression of symbols that evolve and resurface.