Man met twee vrouwen onder een pergola 1760 - 1761

This engraving, made by Noël Le Mire in 1768, depicts a man blindfolded, reaching for two women beneath a pergola. Blindness, often shown through the ages, is a powerful symbol, evoking themes from Cupid’s blindness to fortune’s capriciousness. Here, the blindfold motif appears under the guise of a playful game, alluding to the uncertainty and impulsiveness often associated with love. Think back to medieval allegories where blindfolded figures personified the unpredictability of fate. These images reappear later, subtly altered, in Renaissance emblems and Baroque theatrical designs. The symbol speaks to our subconscious understanding of risk and chance, reminding us that love, like fortune, can be both a blessing and a curse, a concept that cycles through our cultural memory, forever evolving and adapting.