Fabel van de hond en zijn spiegelbeeld

This print illustrates the classic Aesopic fable where a dog mistakes its own reflection for another dog carrying a larger piece of meat. The animal is captured in a moment of greedy hesitation, just before dropping its real meal to snatch the illusory one. The scene is set in a detailed rural landscape featuring a mill, grazing cattle, and a prominent sunburst in the sky.

Engraved by Aegidius Sadeler, court artist to Rudolf II, this work reflects the Prague court's interest in the intersection of natural history and moral allegory. Philosophically, the motif of mistaking a shadow for reality echoes Neoplatonic warnings against being deceived by the material world, which is seen as a mere reflection of higher, spiritual truths.