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In medieval bestiaries, each sense was associated with an animal: sight with cat, lynx, or eagle; hearing with the stag, mole, or boar; smell with the dog or vulture; taste with the monkey; touch with the spider or tortoise. The major Olympians were also associated with corresponding senses: Jupiter with sight, Ceres with taste, Apollo with hearing, Diana with smell.

The blue dress recalls the color of the ocean’s waves, symbols of the continuous transformation of events.

The moon alludes to sudden shifts of mood.

The lobster and the crab are animals traditionally associated with inconsistency, because they randomly walk forward and backward.

The hand over the heart, or holding a heart in her right hand, is a characteristic gesture of faith.

The labyrinth guards the secrets of the sitter’s heart, emphasizing his silence and reserve.

Hel is the name of the goddess of the Underworld.

The peacock is a symbol of rebirth and redemption.

In Ancient Greece, every situation had its own corresponding temporal divinity, such as Kairos (Opportunity), Nike (Victory), and Hermes. The latter, for example, was identified with the silence that sometimes falls over public events, while Kairos personified that moment to take action. Nike presided over wars and sporting competitions, transforming the time of battle into the moment of victory.