Jonge vrouw tussen een jonge en een oude man before 1596

This engraving, "Young Woman between a Young and Old Man," was created by Gillis van Breen around 1620. The composition is dominated by the interplay of textures and lines. The artist uses hatching to create a sense of depth and contrast between the figures and the background. Notice how van Breen employs a semiotic system of signs to convey social commentary. The contrast between the youthful woman and her two companions is heightened by the older man's obscured features and the younger man's direct gaze. The textures of their clothing and the objects they hold act as cultural codes that inform the artwork's reception. This is where we observe a challenge to fixed meanings. Consider the formal quality of the engraving's lines. They function as a means of aesthetic expression, and as part of a cultural discourse. The absence of color directs the viewer's attention to the graphic quality, allowing for ongoing interpretation and re-interpretation.