Titelblad: Recueil de divers vases antiques c. 1650

Editor: This is the title page from "Recueil de divers vases antiques" by Georges Tournier, made around 1650. It's an engraving and the figures seem plucked from antiquity, like characters in a play about to begin. What strikes you when you look at this piece? Curator: Oh, this takes me back to wandering through sun-drenched Italian gardens! Look at the allegorical figure, draped in classical robes, almost reclining into the ornate shield – and that vase… practically overflowing with baroque sensibilities! It's more than just an image, wouldn't you say? More like an invitation to a very stylish, very elaborate party, sometime around the 17th century! It speaks to the era’s fascination with antiquity, almost reverent. Do you feel that connection to the ancient world, even through the baroque flourish? Editor: Absolutely. It’s interesting to see how the past gets reimagined. Do you think it was about more than just aesthetics? Curator: You’re onto something! It wasn't just about pretty vases, was it? These images were circulating amongst artists and patrons, solidifying cultural authority. They're saying, "We, too, are heirs to this great classical tradition!" It makes you wonder, doesn’t it, who decides what gets remembered, and how? It’s funny, history likes to put things in boxes but artworks tend to open them. Editor: It definitely does! Thinking about its influence, the print medium makes it feel more accessible somehow. Curator: Exactly! Reproducibility changes everything. Prints democratize art! Suddenly, these designs could travel anywhere. How marvelous! So what began as royal taste became design inspiration for potters everywhere. I wonder where this design ended up… on someone’s chamber pot in the colonies, perhaps?! Ha! Well, this was illuminating! Editor: I agree, I never would have thought about it in that light. Thanks!