Dees prent mooi en wel / Zijn er zestien op een vel 1806 - 1830

This print, made by Johan Noman, presents sixteen different animals in a single sheet. Each animal is framed, almost like specimens in a cabinet of curiosities, reflecting a time when the natural world was still largely mysterious. Consider the dragon at the bottom right: a mythical creature, composed of familiar animal parts yet entirely imagined. Dragons appear in many cultures. In the West, they are often symbols of chaos; in the East, symbols of wisdom and strength. The collective memory of mythical creatures taps into our deepest fears and desires, revealing the power of symbols to evolve across cultures and epochs. Animals, whether real or imagined, serve as mirrors reflecting our ever-changing understanding of the world.