Neptunus en Amphitrite 1659 - 1731

Curator: Right, let’s have a look at this engraving. It's titled "Neptunus en Amphitrite", depicting Neptune and Amphitrite. It's an engraving, so a print. It dates sometime between 1659 and 1731, made by Pieter van Gunst and can be found at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: Whoa, immediate impression: slightly absurd, very tender. Like a titan’s dad-bod snuggle moment rendered with hyper-precise lines. I feel like I am eavesdropping on a private embrace amid godhood business. Curator: Absurd in what sense? I'm interested in how an engraving can produce a sense of privacy for you. Perhaps the scale and materials involved in the engraving are critical. It invites close scrutiny and handling and it may foster intimacy with the work and those portrayed within. Editor: The absurdity lies, maybe, in translating such colossal figures into this medium – the delicate engraving undercutting the grandiosity we'd expect from sea deities. About intimacy - imagine the labor intensive practice by Pieter. And, maybe also, that this domestic moment, hidden, yet now seen makes it intimate! Do you think the small figure below adds to the overall symbolism, or something else about its materiality? Curator: It looks like Cupid sits down by Neptune. If the theme is marital bliss, or idealized relationships between patriarchal authority (the beard, the trident) and female submission... Well, then we’re really in complex territory regarding art, labor, consumption and those representations circulating within social strata! Are we looking at an articulation of power or some other message intended? Editor: Oh, absolutely layered readings. What's also amazing is how tactile this engraving feels despite being, well, a print. You see the work in those meticulously carved lines, echoing every curve, muscle, and beard bristle! That dedication and almost obsessive technique brings an intimacy I was referencing earlier... Curator: I find myself increasingly drawn into considering how exactly this print circulated, who owned it and who interacted with it and the space between subject matter and the work of labor it represents. Thank you for reminding me how material engagement can impact meaning! Editor: My pleasure! It’s lovely to remember that beneath the godly veneer and expert strokes, are tangible connections, emotions and stories ready for each viewer!