Onderaan drijven twee op bazuinen blazende centauren met in elkaar gehaakte vissenstaarten op water c. 1525 - 1594

This etching by Hans Sibmacher features two centaurs with intertwined fish tails blowing on trumpets amidst cascading architectural motifs. The centaur, a hybrid creature embodying both human intellect and animal instinct, appears throughout classical antiquity, often symbolizing the duality of human nature. Here, their aquatic transformation suggests a mastery over the seas, a domain often associated with gods and mythical beings. The act of trumpet blowing is itself a powerful declaration, reminiscent of the fanfare accompanying triumphs or the heralding of divine pronouncements. Think of the archangels of the Apocalypse. This motif surfaces again and again throughout the history of art, from ancient Roman processional reliefs to Renaissance depictions of fame, always carrying the weight of pronouncement and the echo of authority. These symbols remind us that images are not static entities but dynamic carriers of cultural memory. Their recurrence across time and cultures speaks to the enduring power of symbols to resonate with our deepest emotions and subconscious understanding.