Twee verticale panelen 1712

Editor: These two vertical panels by Daniël Marot, created in 1712, are currently held at the Rijksmuseum. The Baroque style is just overflowing from these pen and ink drawings! All the little details kind of remind me of lace. What do you make of these panels? Curator: The overwhelming detail *is* the point. Marot understood the symbolic language of ornament intimately. Look at the prominent figure in the left panel – can you discern any clues to her identity? Editor: It kind of looks like a classical goddess... maybe holding some sort of musical instrument? Is she supposed to be a muse? Curator: Precisely. Now consider how this image works within the broader visual culture. The surrounding ornamentation -- the foliage, the urns, the garlands -- isn’t mere decoration, is it? Editor: I guess it adds to the feeling that we’re supposed to see this figure in a specific, idealized way... like the symbols are meant to elevate her status or significance? It feels a bit like visual propaganda, even though it is decorative. Curator: Good. Consider the enduring power of visual motifs to communicate meaning and status across generations. Each element, carefully chosen and arranged, reinforced cultural values and aspirations within the Baroque context, perpetuating the authority of specific narratives and those who benefited from it. And isn't it still at work today in the language of design? Editor: That’s fascinating – I never thought about ornamental art as a tool for conveying status! Thanks, this has given me a whole new perspective. Curator: Indeed, symbols are a persistent echo of our shared history and psychological aspirations, aren't they?