Titelblad: Ornamenti di Fregi before 1678

Franz Ertinger created this ornamental design, titled "Titelblad: Ornamenti di Fregi," using etching techniques. The composition unfolds horizontally, featuring figures emerging from a stylized sea, all rendered in precise lines. Note the symmetrical arrangement of merfolk flanking a large shell, with its inscription acting as the focal point. Ertinger masterfully balances the density of line work in the foreground with the sparser treatment of the background, creating a sense of depth within the limited space. The structure uses the semiotic system of images to invoke the world of maritime myths. Consider how the careful placement of each element, from the soaring birds to the tumultuous waves, contributes to a cohesive visual language. The function of these elements as signs within a larger symbolic order reflects contemporary intellectual preoccupations with allegory and representation. The title page functions not merely as decoration but as a complex interplay of form and meaning.