This Hellenistic wax seal depicts the classical ‘Allegory of Hope’.

On the left, cupid is depicted leaning on an urn, linking closely to the myth of pandoras box, where hope was the only thing left to comfort humanity

On the right, the goddess of hope Spes, with one hand holding an anchor, a universal symbol of stability, and the other pointing to the heavens, symbolizing the search for a brighter future

So there is a metric ton of imagery to unpick here…. we have love in Cupid, noting that he looks somewhat downcast, we have Hope in the form of the Goddess, Spes and her anchor symbol and then we also have an urn and a weeping willow, both being symbols of loss, grief and mourning

Put it all together and Emma thinks we have a testament in seal form to the stages of grief, the profound loss of a true love, forlorn cupid, the sorrowful willow and the solemn urn but then moving from left to right, as we would naturally scan, we find the magestic, sand powerful stance of Hope

I mean. The whole thing is every bit as powerful as it is profound as it is beautiful