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Wikimedia Commons · CC0 1.0 · Hover to magnify, click for fullscreen
Original fileA central female figure representing Nature sits atop a reclining lion, symbolizing her dominion over the physical world. She gazes into a mirror held by a kneeling youth while a satyr behind her raises a radiant personified sun toward the sky. The entire scene is enclosed in a complex Mannerist architectural frame decorated with nursing mothers, fruit garlands, and various ornamental figures.
The work visualizes the Renaissance concept of 'semina' (seeds), the idea that every individual possesses innate internal qualities and potentials that dictate their development and destiny. This aligns with Neoplatonic views on the 'Logoi Spermatikoi' (seminal reasons) and the Stoic belief in living according to one's own inherent nature.
Propertius
The title of the work is a quotation from Propertius's Elegies (III, 9, 20) regarding the diversity of human nature.
Cicero
Reflects the Stoic ethical principle discussed in 'De Officiis' concerning 'propriam naturam' (one's own nature).
Object
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
height 518 mm x width 367 mm
allegory
Linked Data
AI AI-cataloged fields generated by gemini-3-flash-preview on April 1, 2026. Getty identifiers are AI-inferred and may require verification.