A Dancing Pair Accompanied by a Blindfolded Fortune 1693

This pen and brown ink drawing, titled 'A Dancing Pair Accompanied by a Blindfolded Fortune', is by the Monogrammist EF, likely dating back to the 17th century. The composition divides into two distinct yet related spheres. On the left, Fortune, blindfolded and perched precariously on a sphere, plays the violin. Her flowing drapery and the banner proclaim "He dances well to whom Fortune plays." To the right, a couple dances, guided, or perhaps misguided, by another figure, possibly representing fate or destiny. The linear quality dominates, defining forms and creating movement. The contrast between the stable, spherical form of Fortune's perch and the dynamic poses of the dancers underscores the themes of chance and fate. Are they truly dancing well, or are they merely puppets of Fortune's tune? The drawing, therefore, is not just an aesthetic object but a philosophical inquiry into the nature of human agency and the capricious nature of fortune. Its meaning remains fluid, dependent on our interpretation.