Golden Calf 16th-17th century

Curator: This is Johann Sadeler I's "Golden Calf," made around the late 16th century. The print depicts the Israelites' idolatry while Moses is on Mount Sinai. Editor: The scene is busy, almost frantic. The lines feel etched with an urgency, emphasizing the chaos and abandonment of faith. It screams earthly indulgence! Curator: Absolutely, the engraving technique allows Sadeler to capture the scene's moral decay and societal breakdown, reflecting anxieties about religious authority during the Reformation. Editor: I see a lot of emphasis on bodily forms, dancing, and feasting. I'm drawn to consider what these bodies are consuming and how they are moving, as that emphasizes the materiality of sin, doesn't it? Curator: Precisely! It serves as a cautionary tale, emphasizing the dangers of straying from divine law and questioning the established order. Editor: Makes you think about the materials used to create the golden calf and the labor involved, juxtaposed against the intangible faith being abandoned. Curator: Indeed, quite a commentary on the human condition and power dynamics. Editor: It definitely challenges the conventional ideas of art and craft by highlighting labor, materiality, and consumption in religious narratives.