Cartouche met vaas van rolwerk 1570

This is an engraving, titled ‘Cartouche met vaas van rolwerk,’ made by an anonymous artist. The dominant visual symbols include the cartouche itself, an ornamental frame with elaborate scrollwork, and a vase overflowing with fruit. In their time, cartouches were used in maps to highlight textual information, framed by ornamental features. The vase of fruit, a symbol of abundance and prosperity, connects to classical traditions, echoing images of cornucopias found in ancient Roman art. The continuous presence of this motif across different eras suggests a deep-seated human desire for nature's bounty. This motif touches something primal within us, reflecting the collective unconscious and the archetypal image of nature as a provider. The cartouche motif has reappeared in different forms throughout history, evolving from ancient inscriptions to Renaissance book designs. These motifs create a sense of continuity, reminding us that symbols are not static; they adapt and transform, surfacing and resurfacing in various guises across the epochs.