Jupiter, seated above two eagles and embracing Cupid, a round composition from a series of mythological scenes after Polidoro da Caravaggio 1590

This engraving by Cherubino Alberti captures Jupiter, king of the gods, embracing Cupid, set within a composition brimming with symbolic weight. The eagles beneath Jupiter represent power and dominion, emblems seen across cultures from Roman legions to heraldic crests. Consider the motif of embrace. In antiquity, it signifies protection, love, and the passing of authority. Think of Roman emperors adopting sons, depicted in similar poses, or Christian images of the Madonna and Child. The protective gesture is not merely physical; it speaks to a deeper psychological need for security. Now, observe how the eagle, a symbol of strength, reappears through time, even today. Yet its meaning shifts, sometimes representing freedom, other times, imperial might. Such transformations reveal the dynamic interplay between cultural memory and our subconscious interpretations. It evokes a powerful, primal response, bridging the classical world with the Renaissance, and beyond. These symbols are never truly still.