„The five Senses“, 1561

About the Work

Frans Floris visualized the five senses as female personifications performing characteristic actions. Assigned to each is moreover an animal in which the respective sense is especially well developed. Contrary to tradition, Floris did not choose a mole or boar for his depiction of hearing but a stag. In Christianity, this animal embodies the soul in search of God and thus conveys the importance of hearing for receiving the Christian message. The depictions targeted a humanist-educated public capable of deciphering the meanings of the symbols and scenes and linking their contents to the latest scientific findings of their time.