Amsterdam City Jug 1651 - 1652

This grand jug was crafted in Amsterdam by Harmen Barendsz. Haen. The handle, shaped like a serpent, is the most striking feature, a symbol laden with cultural and historical weight. The serpent, a primal symbol, slithers through art history, shedding its skin and taking on new meanings. In ancient Greece, the serpent was the symbol of medicine and healing. But step into other cultural contexts, and it embodies chaos, temptation, and hidden knowledge. Consider Eve's apple or the dragon guarding its hoard – the serpent's duality captivates and unsettles us. Thinkers like Jung would say the serpent in our collective unconscious embodies instinctual drives, lurking just beneath the surface of our awareness. The cool, metallic jug, with its serpentine handle, embodies a tension – the struggle between rationality and our most primal selves. It serves as a potent reminder of the subconscious forces shaping our perceptions and emotions, evoking both fascination and unease. It’s as though the past is always coiled around us, influencing the present.