Schaal van koper met vlamachtige motieven c. 1925

This copper bowl, crafted by Frans Zwollo, features flame-like motifs radiating from its center. These motifs evoke primal associations: the warmth of the hearth, the destructive power of fire, and the transformative nature of heat. Consider the ‘aureole’ in religious art. From depictions of the Buddha to Christ, it signifies divine energy emanating outward. These symbolic radiations resurface across cultures. The radiating patterns are a symbol of power and energy. But while the aureole lifts one up into a state of grace, the fire-like patterns in the copper bowl remind us of a power that can be both life-giving and life-taking. The collective unconscious seems to speak through these persistent symbols, reminding us of our complex relationship with the elemental forces that shape our world. It's a perpetual cycle, this visual language, resurfacing, evolving, and taking on new meanings.