Italiaans landschap met herders, koeien en ezels in het water 1643 - 1666

This Italian landscape with herders, cows, and donkeys in the water was etched by Dancker Danckerts in the 17th century. Note the animals wading through water, a motif rich with layered meanings. Water, universally a symbol of life and purification, suggests renewal and transformation. We see echoes of this symbolism across centuries, from ancient baptismal rites to Renaissance allegories of cleansing and rebirth. Consider how the crossing of water may be a physical journey but also mirrors a psychological transition, washing away the old to make way for the new. The presence of livestock—cows, donkeys, and goats—invokes ideas of pastoral life and fertility, harking back to ancient agrarian societies where these animals represented prosperity and abundance. These symbols have undergone a fascinating metamorphosis through time, and Danckerts' etching is a powerful engagement with our collective, subconscious memory.