Titelprent voor: Il Calotto resuscitato. oder Neü eingerichtes Zwerchen Cabinet. Amsterdam: 1716. 1716

Curator: Here we have a rather peculiar engraving from 1716 by Pieter van Buysen Jr., titled "Titelprent voor: Il Calotto resuscitato. oder Neu eingerichtes Zwerchen Cabinet." It seems to function as a title page, promising a revival of sorts. Editor: Immediately striking is the devilish figure perched atop the frame. It lends the whole piece a mischievously theatrical air, doesn't it? The entire image is framed by a fantastical cartouche, evoking a sense of something being presented to us with a flourish. Curator: Precisely. The grotesque figure is interesting, it clearly pulls from stock tropes of devilish imps used as symbols to critique moral structures in theatrical presentations of the time, and might function as an ironic gatekeeper. Editor: I’m curious about the phrase "Zwerchen Cabinet", Dwarfs Cabinet". Considering the period, does this title hint at social commentary through satire, perhaps about the aristocracy or marginalized groups of society? Curator: It certainly opens that avenue of thought. Notice the faces crammed into the basket at the very top. Each one distinct, though trapped together as if on display. "Cabinet" implies a collection, but what is collected here: jester, actors or social classes? It’s hard to ignore that title pages frequently worked as visual metaphors or keys for how to approach the ensuing content. Editor: So it seems that this is more than just decorative art. What seems light hearted is underscored with tension as if poking at underlying power structures. And there's this persistent questioning of societal norms. Van Buysen creates a work filled with contradictions, inviting us to unravel his social criticism. Curator: Precisely. Thank you for giving words to its complex nature. Now when I look again I notice the inverted world around this gathering of caricatures, as if social standards were not yet firmly footed on our "Earth". Editor: And thanks to your focus on symbols, you point us toward more fruitful approaches for navigating similar ambiguities that arise in later iterations of similar satire and theatrical presentation in art. It leaves one feeling invigorated about the potential for art to act as social catalyst.