Venus en Amor op dolfijnen 1498 - 1532

Editor: This engraving, "Venus and Amor on Dolphins," dating from 1498 to 1532, is fascinating. It seems to depict a rather turbulent ocean scene, yet with figures reminiscent of classical mythology. There is almost an unreal atmosphere. What do you make of this? Curator: That unreal atmosphere, I think, is key. What is reality, and for whom, when the scene depicts both Venus and Cupid, alongside these…monstrous dolphins, yet it also includes what appears to be a contemporary cityscape in the background? Who is given the opportunity to be present within such images and within the world? And who isn’t? Editor: It's an interesting juxaposition! So, the mythological foreground meets what appears to be a very real, almost documentary background? Curator: Exactly! This isn’t just an idyllic scene plucked from ancient texts; it’s a pointed engagement with the social landscape. We see idealized forms alongside architectural depictions; one wonders about the implied social commentary through this odd combination of figures, time periods, and visual cues. Editor: I see. So the inclusion of the cityscape is almost an imposition, a disruption to the fantasy? Curator: Precisely. It asks us to question the fantasy itself: who has access to it, and who is relegated to the “real” world represented by the cityscape? Consider, too, how gendered and classed such spaces and power dynamics could have been, and may still be! Editor: It is a lot to take in, thinking of this engraving as an invitation to confront power, class and gender through its setting. Thank you for the additional perspectives. Curator: And thank you for being open to such questions! It is a journey we all can continue together.