Plafond met variant 1670 - 1718

Editor: This engraving, titled "Plafond met variant," from 1670-1718, presents a ceiling design, attributed to an anonymous artist, rendered in incredible detail. It feels incredibly ornate and theatrical. How do you interpret this work in light of its historical context? Curator: The design embodies the grandeur of the Baroque era. Notice the cherubs, the goddess in her chariot—these weren't just aesthetic choices. They're powerful statements about authority, divinity, and the prevailing social hierarchy. How does the very idea of decorating a ceiling itself relate to concepts of power and control? Editor: I suppose that placing a goddess in a chariot on your ceiling definitely speaks to power. So, the people who commissioned artworks like these, what messages were they hoping to convey? Curator: Precisely! Consider the social climate of the 17th and 18th centuries: Europe was marked by rising monarchies, the Church’s waning influence, and emerging scientific thought. Art became a critical tool for shaping public opinion. This ceiling design, for instance, through its visual symbolism, reaffirms traditional hierarchies and divine right, pushing back against social upheaval. Editor: So it's propaganda, in a way? Art serving a political agenda? Curator: Indeed! Art rarely exists in a vacuum. By examining pieces like this engraving through the lenses of gender, class, and politics, we uncover its latent power and how it shaped the social fabric of the time. What do you think the gendered implications are here of putting a goddess on the ceiling in your house? Editor: I never really thought about Baroque art as having a critical and powerful political point. That’s definitely a different lens. Curator: Absolutely, seeing art as active and relational to social structures allows for critical understanding of our shared human narratives, wouldn't you agree?