Elpenor redt Lyconis uit het ijs c. 1635 - 1637

Curator: Look at this print from the Dutch Golden Age, circa 1635-1637, created by Daniël van den Bremden, and housed right here in the Rijksmuseum. It's called "Elpenor redt Lyconis uit het ijs"—"Elpenor Rescues Lyconis from the Ice." The lines are so fine, creating a scene both delicate and intense. Editor: Brrr, intense is right! It gives me the shivers just looking at it. You can practically feel the bite of the cold air. What's the story being depicted here? Curator: Well, if you look closely, you’ll see figures on a frozen expanse, with what seems to be a town or city in the background. A group of people are working together, attempting to rescue someone trapped in the ice. There's this amazing sense of communal effort in the face of mortal danger. But to your earlier point on emotional temperature, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the poetic text integrated with the image that only heightens that feeling. Editor: I notice what looks like a dog just standing there watching… almost nonchalant. What do you make of that little detail? And now that I see the text clearly, where is Elpenor to all of this and, furthermore, is Lyconis meant to embody someone in the icy situation, as they are being pulled from the ice? Curator: It's interesting, isn’t it? Perhaps the dog serves as a silent witness, an element of ordinary life juxtaposed against this dramatic event, reminding us that life goes on, even in the face of tragedy. Also the dog may represent something in between humanity and loyalty as well, while remaining unaffected. Editor: That's fascinating, the way van den Bremden uses that small figure to comment on the larger human drama. So often in depictions of collective action there is often more happening beyond our direct attention that subtly connects to and augments that feeling. Curator: Yes, indeed! I'd also say it’s this delicate dance between immediacy and enduring observation in everyday settings. Editor: Thanks, now that really helped me better consider the visual storytelling woven throughout.