De H. Rochus after 1577

This anonymous engraving portrays Saint Roch, identifiable by the bubo on his thigh, a symbol of the plague he contracted while ministering to the sick. By his side, a dog carries bread, a poignant emblem of loyalty and divine provision. The figure of the dog, faithful and nurturing, recurs throughout art history, from ancient Egyptian depictions of jackals associated with the afterlife to the ever-watchful Cerberus guarding the gates of Hades. Consider how this motif evolves: in medieval tapestries, dogs symbolize fidelity; in Renaissance portraits, they denote aristocratic lineage. The bubo, a ghastly mark of disease, transcends its literal meaning to become a symbol of human suffering and divine testing. One can see it echoed in depictions of other afflicted figures, such as Lazarus, or even in the stigmata of saints. It evokes the complex interplay between physical suffering and spiritual transcendence. This is a reminder of our shared human experiences and the enduring power of symbols to convey complex ideas across time.