Evangelist Johannes c. 1590 - 1637

Egbert Van Panderen etched this depiction of the Evangelist Johannes, and we see him here accompanied by an eagle, his traditional symbol. This emblem signifies spiritual vision and inspiration, linking Johannes to the divine word he is about to transcribe. The eagle, a symbol deeply rooted in antiquity, appears across cultures. From the Roman Empire, where it represented power and victory, to its adoption in Christian iconography, the eagle has always been associated with transcendence. In the context of Johannes, the eagle is not merely a symbol but an embodiment of the divine insight necessary to grasp and articulate profound theological truths. Note the pensive expression and hand-to-head gesture; it invites us to contemplate the act of writing as a deeply thoughtful, almost psychologically fraught endeavor. This image underscores how symbols evolve, accumulating layers of meaning across centuries, each iteration echoing earlier forms while adapting to contemporary sensibilities.