Element vuur als kind met bliksemschichten op rug van adelaar 1648 - 1664

Cornelis van Dalen II created this print called ‘Element of fire as a child with lightning bolts on the back of an eagle’ sometime before his death in 1664. Here we see the Dutch Republic, a society grappling with its burgeoning global power and its relationship to classical learning. In this print, a child-like figure representing fire wields lightning bolts while riding an eagle. This alludes to the Roman god Jupiter, whose eagle was a symbol of power. But, the depiction of fire as a child also softens the image, perhaps reflecting the Dutch Republic's attempt to present itself as a benevolent force in its imperial project. The print is part of a series of the four elements, a classical concept that the Dutch used to understand the world around them. To fully understand this image, we can delve into emblem books popular at the time, which paired images with allegorical verses. This print isn't just a pretty picture; it's a window into how the Dutch understood their place in the world.