Constructie van rolwerk, gedragen door drie op handen en voeten lopende saters 1556

This intricate engraving, "Constructie van rolwerk, gedragen door drie op handen en voeten lopende saters," was created by Johannes or Lucas van Doetechum. The print presents a complex, multi-tiered scene filled with human and mythological figures. The use of detailed line work and structured composition defines the image. The work layers figures and ornamentation atop satyrs, creating a playful yet unsettling visual dynamic. The symmetrical balance and repetition of forms contribute to a sense of order, but the combination of the mythological with architectural elements destabilizes any fixed reading. The print can be decoded by understanding the signs and symbols prevalent in 16th-century art, as well as the cultural codes that informed its making. Notice the satyrs at the bottom, their hunched forms supporting the elaborate scene above. Their position is not just structural but also symbolic, hinting at ideas of burden and the grotesque. The artist challenges fixed meanings through the juxtaposition of classical motifs with whimsical, imaginative designs, suggesting an interest in pushing the boundaries of representation.