Reproductie van een prent van twee gedecoreerde borden met Arion en met een zeegodin door Adriaen Collaert before 1881

This undated print reproduces two designs for decorated plates, likely by Adriaen Collaert. Notice how the circular form dictates the composition, creating a self-contained world within each plate. Each plate is bisected into foreground and background, with mythological figures at the centre. Lines radiate from this central point, connecting it to the swirling bestiary which surrounds it. This is more than mere decoration; it functions as a semiotic system, drawing upon shared cultural knowledge. The figures become signs, each element contributing to a larger narrative about transformation and the relationship between humans and nature. The circular format prompts us to reconsider fixed perspectives. It challenges the traditional linear narratives common in art. Instead, the print offers a space where meanings are not fixed, where the viewer is invited to participate in an ongoing process of interpretation, recognizing the multifaceted nature of cultural and artistic expression.