Drie slangen, een krokodil, een basilisk, een griffioen en een salamander omringd door vuur 1578 - 1596

Stephan Herman’s diminutive engraving depicts three snakes, a crocodile, a basilisk, a griffin and a salamander surrounded by fire. Made in the Northern Netherlands, this image reflects the fascination with mythical and monstrous creatures common in early modern Europe. Consider how the detailed rendering of these beasts, drawn from both classical and medieval lore, speaks to a culture grappling with the boundaries between the known and the unknown. In a time of exploration and burgeoning scientific inquiry, such images served as a visual bridge between traditional beliefs and emerging empirical understandings of the natural world. The presence of fire, often a symbol of purification or destruction, adds another layer of complexity, perhaps hinting at the anxieties and upheavals of the Reformation era. Understanding this work requires delving into period texts on natural history, demonology, and emblem books. The image’s meaning is contingent on its historical and cultural context, demonstrating the role of the historian in illuminating the dialogue between art and its world.