Neptunus achtervolgt een vrouw / Triomf van Bacchus / Terugkeer van Vulcanus met Bacchus 1680 - 1800

These three scenes, captured by Monogrammist MP, present us with potent symbols of classical antiquity, etched with needle and acid. At the top, Neptune, trident in hand, chases a fleeing nymph, the god's lust a raw display of power. Below, Bacchus triumphs, his procession a riot of vine-crowned figures and ecstatic revelry. These are not mere illustrations but echoes of ancient dramas, recurring throughout art history. Consider the motif of the fleeing nymph, a symbol of unattainable desire, seen in countless iterations from Renaissance paintings to modern film. Such imagery taps into our collective unconscious, where archetypes of pursuit and ecstasy reside. The psychological charge of these scenes lies in their ability to evoke primal emotions—the thrill of the chase, the intoxication of communal celebration. These motifs remind us of the cyclical nature of human experience, eternally resurfacing in new forms, yet forever tethered to our shared cultural memory.