Hoender-, konijn- en vogelverkopersgilde van Amsterdam, gildepenning van Filippus Boom 1767

This guild token of Filippus Boom, dating from 1767, from the guild of chicken, rabbit and bird sellers of Amsterdam, features a proud rooster on one side. The rooster, a potent symbol across cultures, is not merely a barnyard animal. Consider its ancient ties to the sun god, heralding the dawn with its crow, a motif echoed in Roman mosaics and Renaissance paintings alike. Over time, its symbolism evolved. During the medieval period, the rooster came to represent vigilance and resurrection, perched atop church steeples as a weathercock, guarding against evil. Even today, the image of the rooster evokes a sense of pride and strength. Here, the rooster does not just represent the guild's trade but taps into this deep well of symbolic meaning, resonating with our collective memory. It is not a linear progression but a cyclical return, a symbol reborn in a new context, imbued with layers of historical and cultural significance.