Landscape with Three Figures 1677

Felix Meyer etched this landscape with three figures in 1677. The pastoral scene, with figures reminiscent of classical nymphs, evokes the Golden Age. This motif of figures in idyllic nature harkens back to ancient Greece and Rome, where Arcadia represented a harmonious existence. Consider the reclining pose of the figures. It echoes the classical depiction of river gods and nymphs, symbols of fertility and abundance. This motif appears in Renaissance paintings and sculptures, each time carrying a sense of nostalgia for a lost, simpler time. Yet, it shifts, becoming intertwined with Christian ideas of paradise. The landscape itself is a symbolic space, a stage where human desires and yearnings are projected. Such iconography persists, transforming through art movements, always reflecting our deep-seated longing for harmony with nature. These images tap into our collective memory, a psychological echo of paradise.