Ronde fontein ondersteund door sfinxen op een binnenplaats c. 1600

This engraving by Johannes or Lucas van Doetechum depicts a courtyard fountain adorned with sphinxes and other figures. The sphinx, with its body of a lion and head of a human, is an ancient symbol, originating in Egypt and later adopted by the Greeks. It traditionally represents wisdom, guardianship, and the mysteries of life and death. Note how, in this design, the sphinxes support the fountain, suggesting a foundation of knowledge and protection. Consider the image of the water itself. Flowing from the mouths of the figures at the top, water, throughout history, has been a symbol of purification and life. Images of hybrid creatures, like the sphinx, tap into a collective memory, stirring subconscious associations, and triggering feelings of awe. This cultural phenomenon of symbolic migration demonstrates how potent symbols never truly disappear, but resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings in different historical contexts.