Omlijsting met H. Antonius, Anna te Drieën en gebouw te Leuven 1768

This is a 1768 engraving by Joannes Verhoeven, presenting Saint Anthony and Saint Anne with Mary and Jesus. At the bottom of the frame, we see the building in Leuven, flanked by Plato and Aristotle. Notice Saint Anthony, staff in hand and a pig at his feet. This humble animal, often seen as unclean, became strongly associated with Saint Anthony, protector of swineherds. Depictions of Anthony with his pig are scattered across centuries of art, from simple votive offerings to grand altarpieces. Consider how the pig transforms: In ancient pagan rites, the pig was sacrificed, a symbol of fertility and prosperity. Yet, in Christian iconography, it became a sign of the saint's triumph over earthly temptations, a motif expressing control of base instincts. This symbol experienced a cyclical journey through the collective psyche, evolving and adapting. Here, its appearance beside Saint Anthony speaks to the enduring power of images to carry complex, shifting cultural memories.