Plate from "Scenographiae..." 1560

Johannes van Doetecum I created this plate from "Scenographiae..." using engraving techniques. Here, the architectural perspective draws us into a world adorned with classical motifs. Note the herms, those half-human, half-pillar figures standing guard along the colonnade, recalling ancient traditions of marking sacred spaces. The nude figures set within niches carry echoes of classical ideals, yet they also serve as reminders of the human form's enduring presence. The herm, in particular, intrigues me. Rooted in ancient Greece, these figures originally honored Hermes, the messenger god, a protector of boundaries and transitions. Over time, they evolved, appearing in Roman gardens as symbols of virtue and intellectual pursuits. Their recurrence speaks to a deep-seated human need to connect with ancestral wisdom and to find physical representations of abstract concepts. This cyclical return underscores how visual symbols persist and adapt, resonating across generations and cultures.