Embleem met de mens die zijn kruis draagt en zich bewust is van tegenslagen op zijn weg 1620 - 1649

This emblem, crafted by an anonymous artist, presents a densely populated allegorical landscape rendered through engraving. The composition is structured around a central path, laden with figures bearing crosses, leading upwards towards a celestial realm. The artist employs intricate linework to distinguish between earthly struggles and divine promise. The rigorous, almost geometric arrangement of figures and symbols invites semiotic interpretation. Each character with their cross may signify a different form of worldly adversity. This visual encoding reflects the broader philosophical concerns of the period, where earthly existence was viewed as a procession of trials towards spiritual enlightenment. The act of carrying the cross, a heavy wooden structure, becomes a signifier for personal endurance. Note how the upward trajectory leads the eye to the lighter, cloud-filled region, symbolizing hope and salvation. This emblem functions not merely as an aesthetic object but as a complex philosophical statement about the human condition. It acknowledges the adversities we face and also the potential for transcendence through faith and perseverance.