Titelblad voor een liedboek (D'offerhande van Silvia) 1622

Pieter Serwouters created this title page for a songbook, titled D'offerhande van Silvia, using etching techniques. The print depicts a scene of sacrifice, drawing from classical mythology. But what does it mean to offer Silvia? Who decides her fate, and what power dynamics are at play in this ritual? The men who stand by the altar are dressed in the fashion of the Dutch elite; their clothing suggests a level of societal status that contrasts sharply with the vulnerability of the figure being offered. This etching invites us to consider the complexities of power, gender, and sacrifice. It challenges us to reflect on who is granted agency and who is rendered an object within the narratives we construct. How might we read this image through the lens of contemporary discussions around agency, objectification, and the stories we tell about ourselves and others?