Plate 2: a cartouche with a child seen from the back to left and a child seen from the front to right, each playing with the head of a sheep crowned with flowers, from 'Twelve cartouches' (Recueil de douze cartouches) 1640 - 1645

François Collignon created this print, Plate 2: a cartouche with a child seen from the back to left and a child seen from the front to right, each playing with the head of a sheep crowned with flowers, from 'Twelve cartouches', in the 17th century. During this era, the cartouche served as a central element in elaborate title pages, prints, and book illustrations. These were visual markers which also symbolized power. The cartouche here has a flat central area which would have been reserved for text. Examining this cartouche through an intersectional lens reveals several layers of meaning. The cherubic figures, rendered in fine detail, reflect the era's fascination with innocence. These children playing with decapitated heads of sheep speak to both an innocence and a latent violence. The sheep, crowned with flowers, are a symbol of sacrifice. This reminds us how power, even when framed by beauty, often comes at a cost.