Neptune 1592

Curator: Hendrick Goltzius's "Neptune," dating back to 1592, greets us. It's an engraving, offering a powerful depiction of the Roman god of the sea. What's your first impression? Editor: Muscular. Overwhelmingly muscular. And intense! Neptune's gaze pins you right in place, doesn't it? The overall tone, for me, feels…confrontational. Almost as if daring you to question his authority. Curator: Absolutely. That was Goltzius. It’s very Mannerist. Think about what Neptune embodies: power, control over the vast ocean. But Goltzius layers it with a very palpable sense of *human* strength. You can see it in the defined muscles and dramatic pose. It isn't just about divine authority; it's about potent, physical presence. Editor: The trident certainly drives that home. A tool of power but also destruction and, perhaps surprisingly, here it could function as a phallic symbol... The Roman god's domination is not just about the sea, then. And it almost seems too much, doesn’t it? That muscularity pushes it towards something performative. Look, the little putti on the upper scene look terrified... Curator: It is theatrical, isn’t it? Part of that is definitely Mannerist theatricality, but perhaps part is also the way Goltzius is unafraid to celebrate masculine strength here in a very upfront, bold fashion. Even the laurel branch feels like an aggressive form of ornamentation—as if it’s been clutched in a very assertive fist rather than merely held! Editor: Yes! Even the shading, which adds to that effect. All the lines emphasize that sculpted quality. The drapery too, looks less like clothing and more like…muscles trying to hide under fabric? It is amazing to contemplate how Goltzius captures a sense of potency not just through symbol and story but in every mark on the page. He makes that visual impact inescapable. Curator: A brilliant culmination of artistry and, really, imagination—it's a vivid reminder that ancient myth can, and perhaps should, feel relevant to any moment in time. It certainly lingers with you, doesn’t it? Editor: Absolutely. There's an enduring psychological charge about such artworks, a link between our primal selves and these monumental figures that culture and religion create for us. That's an essence that always bears reflection!