Visserij: een haven met vismarkt, ca. 1600 1608

Around 1600, Claes Jansz. Visscher captured this lively harbor scene with etching, teeming with symbols of maritime life and commerce. The tower, a stoic sentinel, anchors the composition while nets overflow with fish—a scene ripe with activity. The fish, a primordial symbol, transcends its literal form. In early Christian iconography, the fish signified abundance and faith, a symbol that later evolved into emblems of prosperity in mercantile societies like the 17th-century Dutch Republic. Observe how the fish reappear, transformed from religious metaphor to commodity. It mirrors our own evolving relationship with nature, subtly revealing our collective psyche. This transformation resonates deeply; we unconsciously witness the shift in meaning as we grapple with the cyclical nature of symbols and our place within this ever-changing narrative.