Ibzan and Jephthah c. 1579

Editor: Here we have "Ibzan and Jephthah" by Hans Collaert the Elder. It looks like an illustration, maybe an engraving? I’m struck by the symmetry of the composition. What do you see in this piece, from a formalist perspective? Curator: The bilateral symmetry is indeed a primary structural element. Observe the mirrored poses of the figures, balanced by contrasting background elements. The formal tension arises from the interplay of line and color, each delineating distinct spatial planes. Note the restricted palette, almost emblematic in its usage. Editor: So the figures and the background are each defined by separate elements? It's quite striking. Curator: Precisely. The figures, rigidly defined, are opposed to the softer, more diffused rendering of the background details. The engraving technique itself contributes to the graphic clarity. Editor: That makes the symbolic nature of the composition much clearer now. Curator: Indeed, form dictates content in its purest expression here.