Omlijstingen met putti, engelen en sater 1678 - 1724

This print by Johann Christoph Hafner presents a series of frames adorned with putti, angels, and a satyr. These figures are not merely decorative; they're potent symbols that resonate deeply within our cultural memory. Consider the putti, those cherubic children ubiquitous in Renaissance and Baroque art. They evoke a sense of innocence and divine love, yet their origins trace back to ancient Roman art, where they represented Cupid, the god of love, a force that even the most rational mind cannot tame. Similarly, the satyr, a creature of the forest, embodies primal instincts, and reminds us of the duality of human nature. The enduring presence of these figures shows how symbols adapt, echoing through time, influencing our subconscious understanding. Hafner's work is not just a visual delight but an intricate web of inherited meanings, continuously reshaped and reinterpreted across generations.