Bloemenvaas met zonnebloem en tulpen 1688 - 1698

This watercolor, titled "Bloemenvaas met zonnebloem en tulpen," presents a floral arrangement by an anonymous artist. Here, the sunflower, with its radiant face, immediately draws the eye, symbolizing not just light and life but also divine love and constancy. But let us not overlook the tulips, for these blooms, particularly potent in the Dutch Golden Age, embodied both beauty and transience, their brief, vibrant display mirroring life's ephemeral nature. The sunflower—revered across cultures from the Incas to the Greeks—has been associated with solar deities, with the myth of Clytie, a nymph who pined for Apollo, forever turning her face towards the sun. This motif of turning towards the divine has echoed through art history, seen in countless depictions of saints and supplicants, their gazes lifted towards heavenly light. The flowers, with their delicate balance of life and mortality, appeal to our deepest subconscious fears and desires. We are reminded that symbols are never static; they evolve, transform, and resurface, imbued with new meanings across time, inviting us to see beyond the surface.