Cartouche met opdracht, leeuw, beer, Diana, nimf en jachthonden 1608 - 1621

This engraving by Antonio Tempesta, dating from around 1609, presents a cartouche teeming with symbolic life. The figures of Diana, goddess of the hunt, accompanied by hunting dogs, and wild animals are prominent. Consider the motif of Diana, who embodies the wild and untamed aspects of nature. Her presence echoes through time, recalling Artemis of the Greeks, a figure deeply rooted in ancient mythologies. The lion and bear, symbols of power and primal instinct, evoke the bestial within us. These symbols aren't merely aesthetic choices, but vehicles of cultural memory. Think of the Renaissance fascination with antiquity, where such symbols were revived to connect with a classical past. This connection transcends mere imitation. It is a subconscious yearning to reconcile the present with the echoes of ancestral wisdom. The emotional power of these images lies in their ability to tap into this collective consciousness. These symbols are always in flux, never fixed. Over time, their meanings evolve, and they resurface in new forms. Here, Diana presides over the hunt and represents something enduring about the human relationship with the natural world.