Omlijsting voor Herman Swanefeld 1724 - 1777

Etienne Fessard created this print, "Omlijsting voor Herman Swanefeld," in the 18th century. The oval frame is entwined with grape vines, leaves, and bunches of grapes, all heavy with symbolic meaning. The grape vine, a classical symbol of abundance, fertility, and, most notably, intoxication, has ancient roots in Dionysian rituals. We see it reappear throughout history, transformed in Christian iconography into a symbol of the Eucharist, representing spiritual nourishment and divine blood. Observe how the vine's twisting form binds the frame, a visual echo of the human desire to capture and contain nature's boundless energy. Like a potent dream, these symbols resonate within our collective memory, evoking primal feelings of desire, excess, and the cyclical rhythm of life and death. This image is not just a frame; it is a vessel filled with the layered history of human experience, ever-evolving, ever-present.