Uilenspiegel: de bedelaarsfamilie 1520 - 1583

This anonymous engraving, titled "Uilenspiegel: de bedelaarsfamilie," depicts a wandering family, likely beggars, their figures etched with the stark realities of poverty. Observe the prominent figure blowing a horn—an instrument often linked to wandering minstrels, jesters, or even the heralding of outcasts. This horn, a symbol of itinerancy, echoes in numerous cultural depictions across time. Consider its distant cousin, the ram's horn or shofar, used in ancient rituals to signify spiritual awakening and communal unity, yet here, it signals a state of social exclusion. The image resonates with the age-old motif of the "wheel of fortune," where individuals rise and fall, propelled by forces beyond their control. This family reminds us that the journey of life is cyclical, and that the symbols of our struggles and aspirations are continuously reinterpreted as time moves forward.