Design for a Plate with Thetis on a Shell in a Medallion Bordered by Sea Monsters 1595 - 1605

Adriaen Collaert designed this plate with Thetis on a shell, surrounded by sea monsters, sometime around the late 16th century. At the center, the goddess Thetis sits gracefully, holding a cup, while around her, fantastic sea creatures churn the waters. These monsters are not merely decorative; they embody the fearsome, chaotic aspects of the sea, a realm both life-giving and perilous. This recalls similar motifs in ancient art, like the Hellenistic depictions of sea battles, where hybrid creatures symbolize the unpredictable forces of nature. Consider, for instance, how such imagery evolved. In medieval bestiaries, sea monsters represented the hidden dangers of the unknown world. The monsters become symbols of a world beyond human control, stirring deep-seated anxieties about the forces of nature. The cyclical recurrence of these symbols speaks to our enduring fascination with the primal powers of the sea.