Vignet met de personificatie van de Rede 1723 - 1767

Jacob Folkema created this vignette with the personification of Reason, using etching. At its core, a draped female figure embodies 'Reden,' or Reason, holding a snake, and in the foreground, scales lie beneath her feet. The snake here represents the capacity of Reason to defeat irrationality, to bring light to the darkness of ignorance and primal instinct. We observe the serpent, a symbol stretching back to ancient times. It appears in the myths of Mesopotamia, and coiled around the staff of Hermes, the caduceus. Here, the snake underfoot suggests Reason's triumph, a motif echoing in countless depictions of virtues overcoming vices throughout art history. In antiquity, the serpent was a symbol of wisdom, but also of deceit, coiling its way through the collective psyche of humanity. Over centuries, this symbol has resurfaced, transformed, and layered with meaning, reflecting our perennial struggle between instinct and intellect. The image of Reason standing triumphant resonates in our subconscious, embodying a timeless pursuit of clarity.