Bloemen, een slak en een vogel 1594

This delicate etching of flowers, a snail, and a bird was rendered by Nicolaes de Bruyn. The bird, flowers and insects teem with symbolic life. Consider the snail, slowly inching its way across the lower right. In Dutch art, the snail often served as a vanitas symbol, representing the fleeting nature of life and the inevitability of decay. Yet, this meaning is not fixed. The snail appears in medieval illuminated manuscripts as a symbol of the resurrection, its spiral shell mirroring the cyclical nature of time itself. Even further back, in ancient Roman art, snails were associated with Venus, the goddess of love and beauty, linking the creature to themes of fertility. These shifting associations reveal how symbols evolve, accumulating layers of meaning across cultures. Consider, too, the emotional resonance of this humble creature: its slow, deliberate pace can evoke feelings of patience, perseverance, or even melancholy. In its depiction, the snail becomes a powerful force engaging viewers on a deep, subconscious level. From love to death, and rebirth, its history is long and winding.