De geboorte van Adonis uit de in een boom veranderde Myrrha 1650

Nicolas Poussin rendered this drawing of the birth of Adonis from Myrrha, transformed into a tree, using pen and wash. Note the clear visual language of metamorphosis and rebirth, central to the tale of Adonis. Myrrha’s arboreal transformation is not merely a plot device, but a profound symbol. The tree, rooted yet reaching, embodies both death and generative potential, mirroring the cyclical nature of life. This motif echoes across cultures; consider the Tree of Life, a recurring symbol linking heaven, earth, and the underworld. The image of a tree giving birth touches deep, collective memories of nature's power. Just as Daphne metamorphosed into a laurel to evade Apollo, becoming an eternal symbol of resistance and transformation. In each telling, the motif retains its primal force, evolving yet echoing across the ages, tapping into our subconscious understanding of nature's ability to both conceal and reveal.