Personificatie van de Tiber 1648 - 1670

Editor: We're looking at "Personification of the Tiber," an engraving done in ink sometime between 1648 and 1670. It's this beautifully detailed, reclining figure... almost sculptural in its depiction of the body. I’m really drawn to the story it tells, but I'm curious – what stands out to you most about this piece? Curator: Oh, the Tiber! He’s quite the character, isn't he? For me, it's how this image embodies the Baroque love for allegory. He is a river deified. But more than just some guy lounging, he's Rome personified. The cornucopia symbolizes the river’s abundance, while the she-wolf nursing Romulus and Remus whispers the very foundation of the city. Can you almost feel the weight of history in those delicate lines? Editor: Definitely. It's like the whole story of Rome is compressed into this one figure. I’m interested in your read of "abundance"...does the style have anything to do with that too? Curator: Precisely. The flowing lines and that sense of overflowing – that's Baroque for "We have more than enough!" Even the folds in his drapery contribute to the sensation. Does that resonate with how you’re experiencing the piece? Editor: Yeah, that totally clicks. It makes you think about the river as a source of not just water, but also wealth and power. The body itself too. Thank you! Curator: It’s all intertwined. It's a visual poem celebrating Roman grandeur, wouldn’t you say? What a reminder that art always sings of its time. Editor: Definitely food for thought, seeing a whole culture captured in just a few lines. Thanks so much for illuminating all that.