Duif keert terug met olijftak 1683 - 1733

Bernard Picart created this print, ‘Dove Returning with Olive Branch,’ a small yet resonant piece, during the late 17th or early 18th century. The image unfolds with a stark contrast of light and shadow, a symbolic landscape where a dove, bearing an olive branch, flies towards a sunburst. The composition is neatly bisected: on one side, tumultuous clouds loom, balanced by a jagged land formation and tree to the other. Picart uses the symbolic code of the dove, deeply ingrained in Western culture, to create a message of hope. This is heightened by the radiant sun, positioned as a vanishing point that draws the eye. The dove's flight path is an active line, a trajectory of peace cutting through the scene's implied chaos. The stark line work lends a sense of urgency, emphasizing the dove's role. It is a potent visual statement that explores themes of peace, divine intervention, and renewal. The print leaves us contemplating not just the narrative it depicts, but also how skillfully Picart uses form to convey ideas.