Jonge herder en herderin bij een boom 1638 - 1658

Cornelis Visscher etched "Young Shepherd and Shepherdess by a Tree." Here we see a scene of bucolic life, where shepherds, livestock, and a sheltering tree create a serene tableau. The tree, a dominant motif, carries echoes of the "Tree of Life," an ancient symbol of growth, sustenance, and interconnectedness. This symbol appears across cultures, from ancient Mesopotamian art to the medieval Christian concept of the Cross as the "Tree of Life." In Visscher's pastoral scene, it suggests nature as a nurturing and life-sustaining force. Even in modern times, the symbol of the tree resurfaces. Think, for example, of the psychoanalyst's couch: the tree, in its constant return, represents, not necessarily consciously, refuge, and the search for meaning.