Op de drempel zittende hond 1811 - 1867

This print by Christiaan Wilhelmus Moorrees presents us with a dog sitting patiently within a stone archway, overgrown with foliage. The dog, a symbol of loyalty and guardianship, sits on the threshold, a space of transition and liminality. Consider Cerberus, the multi-headed hound guarding the gates of the Underworld in Greek mythology. This motif of a canine guarding a threshold, a boundary between worlds, echoes through history. In ancient Egypt, the jackal-headed god Anubis watched over the passage of souls. The image taps into our collective memory, the ancestral fear of the unknown, and our need for protection. Like a silent guardian, the dog's calm gaze evokes a sense of watchfulness and a deep, instinctual connection to the home. The threshold is not merely a physical barrier but also a psychological one. This image reveals how symbols like the dog have been passed down through history and evolved through varying meanings, touching our subconscious.