Sprinkhaan 1716 - 1789

Pieter Lyonet captured this grasshopper with astonishing detail. The image takes on a life of its own, and speaks to our collective memories of nature's symbols. Consider the grasshopper; in ancient Greece, it symbolized music and poetry, linked to Apollo, the god of arts. Yet, beyond the Mediterranean, the same creature takes on a darker guise, often associated with destruction, famine, and the wrath of divine retribution. Think back to the plagues of Egypt, vividly described in the Old Testament, or even to more contemporary allegories, the grasshopper has been a signifier of existential threat, a harbinger of economic and environmental devastation. The humble grasshopper becomes a complex symbol, evoking a primal sense of awe, fear, and the cyclical nature of life and destruction. A reminder of the world's delicate balance.