Decoratieve omlijsting met slangen en het portret van Johannes van Lier 1773

Jan Caspar Philips created this print, "Decorative Frame with Snakes and the Portrait of Johannes van Lier," sometime in the 18th century. The decorative frame is not merely ornamental; it encapsulates the era’s complex relationship with nature and knowledge. The serpents coiled along the frame's edges evoke the biblical symbol of temptation and primal fear, yet they are meticulously rendered, reflecting an emerging scientific interest in the natural world. Encircling the portrait of Johannes van Lier, a man of science, the snakes represent the entwined nature of knowledge and the unknown. This image invites us to consider the historical context of scientific exploration. What does it mean to frame knowledge with symbols that are both alluring and cautionary? The pursuit of knowledge, much like the serpent, carries a dual potential for enlightenment and peril.