Doos in de vorm van een zwaan, bestaande uit twee delen. Aan de hals van de zwaan een verguld zilveren kroontje waaraan een insigne met Sint Maarten. 1639
silver, sculpture
silver
baroque
figuration
sculpture
Dimensions: height 24.5 cm, length 27.5 cm, width 9.5 cm
Copyright: Rijks Museum: Open Domain
This is a two-part silver box in the shape of a swan, its neck adorned with a gilded crown and an insignia of Saint Martin, made by Huybert van de Berch. Here, the swan is not merely a bird but a vessel of cultural memory. Swans, often symbols of purity and grace, ascend here to a noble status, crowned and bearing a saint's emblem. The swan, in its various guises across cultures—from the transformative swan maidens of folklore to Leda's fateful encounter with Zeus—resonates with themes of metamorphosis and divine visitation. Consider how this imagery evokes profound emotional states. The swan, poised and elegant, stirs a longing for an idealized past, where nature and divinity intertwined. The crown, a symbol of temporal power, merges with the spiritual authority of Saint Martin. Such juxtapositions reflect a cultural subconscious, grappling with the sacred and the secular. This echoes across epochs, resurfacing in new forms. The swan and crown motif evolves, adapts, yet remains a powerful emblem, engaging viewers on a deep, subconscious level.
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