DOI Heft:
Nr. 1-4
DOI Artikel:Paszkiewicz, Piotr: Noctural bird of wisdom: symbolic functions of the owl in emblems
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18898#0063
1. Prudent rather than Locąuacious, in: A. Alciati, Emblematum liber, 1550
embracing in a wedding scenę of Jan Miense Molenaer's Allegory of Fidelity in Marriage, Rich-
mond, Virginia, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts). Tliis shows that in 17th century Dutch and Fle-
mish painting the role of animals Was often not purely decorative.
The owi is particularly distinct among the creatures that tradition, accumulating over cen-
turies, endowed with a wealth of meanings and contents. Today, the bird evokes obvious associa-
tions with witdom; it is a symbol of knowledge and learning. It is only rarely associated with
the darkness of its nocturnal life style. Over the centuries, however, the owi has not solely re-
presented good qualities. In accordance with the opposition principle employed in symbolic thin-
king ithasseryed as a sign of wisdom as well as stupidity, it has symbolized sin as well as Christ.
This interpretation of often contradictory meanings is characteristic not only of 15th— 17th
century painting of the Netherlands but occurs at almost all stages of the development of art,
literaturę and folk beliefs.
57
embracing in a wedding scenę of Jan Miense Molenaer's Allegory of Fidelity in Marriage, Rich-
mond, Virginia, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts). Tliis shows that in 17th century Dutch and Fle-
mish painting the role of animals Was often not purely decorative.
The owi is particularly distinct among the creatures that tradition, accumulating over cen-
turies, endowed with a wealth of meanings and contents. Today, the bird evokes obvious associa-
tions with witdom; it is a symbol of knowledge and learning. It is only rarely associated with
the darkness of its nocturnal life style. Over the centuries, however, the owi has not solely re-
presented good qualities. In accordance with the opposition principle employed in symbolic thin-
king ithasseryed as a sign of wisdom as well as stupidity, it has symbolized sin as well as Christ.
This interpretation of often contradictory meanings is characteristic not only of 15th— 17th
century painting of the Netherlands but occurs at almost all stages of the development of art,
literaturę and folk beliefs.
57