Sardien 1928

Lodewijk Schelfhout created this artwork, Sardien, in 1913. Here, we see a single sardine, suspended in the cool embrace of the water. Even in its humble form, the fish carries a powerful symbolic weight. Across cultures, fish have represented abundance, fertility, and the subconscious depths of the human psyche. Think of the ancient fertility goddesses, often associated with aquatic life, or the Christian symbol of the fish, Ichthys, a secret sign of faith. The simple motif of a fish swimming recurs throughout art history. Consider its appearance in ancient Roman mosaics, where it symbolizes prosperity, or in Japanese prints, where it embodies perseverance and strength, swimming upstream. The fish, in its fluidity and mystery, has always captured our imagination. It reflects our own complex emotional landscapes. Notice how the sardine here seems both vulnerable and self-assured, inviting us to ponder the depths of our own subconscious.