Rog, brasem en witvis 1581 - 1656

Nicolaes de Bruyn etched this image of a ray, bream, and whitefish around the late 16th or early 17th century. The fish depicted here have swum through various cultural waters, evolving into symbols weighted with different meanings. Take, for instance, the fish itself. As a symbol, it's been connected to fertility and abundance since ancient times. In early Christian iconography, the fish, or "ichtus," became a coded symbol for Christ himself, a visual password among believers. You see, symbols often transform, carrying old meanings into new contexts. They are cultural survivors. Consider how the cool detachment of these specimens engages us. They are presented almost clinically, yet the very act of depiction pulls at something deep within us. This is the emotional weight art carries; the capacity to evoke primal responses. The fish is no longer just a fish but an echo of cultural memory.