Jona wordt door de vissers overboord gegooid 1600 - 1620

This engraving by Justus Sadeler depicts the biblical story of Jonah being thrown overboard. Observe the monstrous sea creature lurking beneath the ship, its jaws agape, ready to swallow the prophet. This motif of the sea monster appears across cultures and millennia. From the Leviathan in Jewish tradition to the dragon in ancient mythologies, the sea monster embodies primal fears and the chaos of the natural world. Here, its presence amplifies the terror and divine retribution facing Jonah. This representation of the beast connects to similar artistic depictions across time, from medieval bestiaries to Renaissance paintings. Each era reshapes the monster to mirror its own anxieties and understanding of the unknown. The act of being swallowed mirrors symbolic death and rebirth. Throughout history, myths and rituals, the swallowing motif signifies transformation, where one emerges renewed from the depths. Such imagery speaks to our collective subconscious, tapping into the psychological depths where fear and hope intertwine. This cyclical progression of symbols echoes through time, constantly resurfacing in new forms and contexts.