Vaas met slangen 1778 - 1779

Editor: So, this is "Vase with Snakes", an engraving from around 1778-1779 by Gottlieb Friedrich Riedel, currently held at the Rijksmuseum. It strikes me as almost a page from an elaborate, slightly gothic, design book. What do you make of it? Curator: Oh, gothic indeed! But, perhaps more theatrical? For me, this isn't just a design; it’s a little stage. The vase, with its serpent embrace, is the main player. Notice how the floral arrangements act like a proscenium arch, framing our vase. The snakes! What a wonderfully sinister twist. Riedel gives us a silent drama, doesn’t he? It’s baroque gone a bit… punk! Editor: Punk Baroque! I love that! The snakes definitely disrupt any sense of serene classicism. Why snakes, do you think? Curator: Ah, the snake! Ever the symbol of duality – poison and cure, chaos and rebirth. Maybe Riedel's hinting that even beauty holds a dangerous allure. Or perhaps, he’s just being delightfully mischievous! He could be slyly commenting on the fashionable, fussy ornamentation of the era by including this primal, edgy symbol. What if he wants to wake us up? To see more deeply? Editor: That makes so much sense. It's more than just a pretty picture. The flowers and vase might seem traditional at first glance, but the snakes disrupt that expectation and add intrigue. I initially viewed the snakes as almost decorative, now I appreciate them much more. Thanks for opening my eyes to the complexity of this piece. Curator: My pleasure! It reminds us that even within decorative arts, artists can inject their own unique voice, questioning norms, provoking thought. Who knew a vase could be so subversive, eh?