Janus åbner årets porte 1722

Marcus Tuscher created this print, 'Janus åbner årets porte', sometime in the first half of the 18th century. At the center, we see Janus, the Roman god of beginnings and transitions, adorned with a crown, holding a key, ready to unlock the year's potential. The image is filled with symbolic figures: river gods, representing abundance, putti, embodying love, and Flora, goddess of flowers and spring. Flora appears in Botticelli's Primavera, where her presence signals renewal and growth. Here, the figures floating on clouds evokes a sense of divine orchestration, guiding the seasons. The symbolism of the key has long resonated in religious and secular contexts. We see it in Christian art, representing Saint Peter's authority, but also, more universally, as a symbol of knowledge and initiation. Tuscher presents us with a world of cyclical return, suggesting the continuous interplay between past and present. The emotional power lies in its evocation of hope and the promise of renewal, engaging viewers on a subconscious level with the eternal cycle of time.