Vaas met meerminnen 1729 - 1737

Curator: Here we have "Vase with Mermaids", an engraving dating from 1729 to 1737. The artist, Gabriel Huquier, truly captured the essence of baroque ornamental design in this piece now held in the Rijksmuseum collection. Editor: Oh, it's all elegant frills and fantastical curves, isn't it? My immediate impression is…regal gloom. It feels like something that would have been in the castle of a mermaid queen, not joyful exactly, more about imposing status, like these silent guardians of submerged mysteries. Curator: The mermaid motif does carry deep historical resonance. Mermaids have long symbolized allure and danger, embodying the mysteries of the sea. Their presence here underscores the vase's status as more than just a vessel. They link the concept of a container to feminine power and the wild, unpredictable aspects of nature. Editor: Absolutely! There's something wonderfully paradoxical about these mermaids adorning what is essentially a static object. A vase—a thing of land, claiming power from the depths, isn’t it funny? Their serene expressions suggest some concealed awareness... the power behind beauty, perhaps? Curator: It makes me consider the dialogue between art and craft in that period. Huquier masterfully translates what could have been a 3-dimensional sculpture into a print, yet the line work conveys incredible depth, doesn't it? This vase serves as a potent status symbol but the way that this style traveled by means of this relatively inexpensive print, would give access to a broader audience. Editor: Yes, there's an intimacy in engraving – each deliberate line building not just form, but also the texture and shadow…it’s gorgeous! I think there’s this strange vulnerability in black and white too – as though some grand secrets were spilled but, now we must color them into life, and they demand it of us! Curator: Precisely! I appreciate your imaginative engagement; thinking beyond its aesthetic qualities reveals Huquier’s sophisticated grasp of iconography and visual rhetoric. Editor: And I admire the sheer boldness of this baroque flourish – its willingness to embrace whimsy within formalism! Definitely, one to ponder as we continue exploring the collection.