Walvis met bloemenkrans vastgehouden door cherubijn 1652 - 1707

Gérard Edelinck, a printmaker working in Paris, likely made this engraving on paper, "Whale with flower wreath held by cherub" in the late 17th century. This work emerges from a period where the boundaries between the natural world, religious belief, and classical mythology were porous. A cherubic figure, usually found in religious contexts, crowns a whale, an animal then often seen as monstrous and awe-inspiring, with a wreath of flowers. This seemingly whimsical image is steeped in the social and scientific contexts of the time, and serves as an allegory of power and the social hierarchy. The act of crowning can be seen as a gesture of dominion, and the image highlights the complex relationship between humanity and the natural world. Edelinck invites us to reflect on the narratives we construct around both our understanding of nature and our spiritual selves.