Figuren buiten een vestingstad 1613 - 1695

Nicolas Perelle etched this small plate, "Figures Outside a Fortified City," in the 17th century. The city is built on craggy rocks, with a large, overgrown tree placed on the left-hand side. Beyond the city walls, figures move along the shore beneath a sky filled with thick clouds. Throughout the image, figures are placed, scattered in groups along the shore, next to the city walls, or on boats in the sea. The inclusion of such a prominent tree evokes the classical motif of the *arbor mala*, or the "bad tree," often associated with the fall of man. This symbol, deeply rooted in both religious and mythological narratives, can be traced through countless works of art across diverse cultures. From the Garden of Eden to ancient Greek myths of forbidden fruit, the tree symbolizes temptation, knowledge, and the inevitable loss of innocence. The *arbor mala* resurfaces throughout art history, its emotional weight and subconscious associations persisting through centuries.