Fontein met beeld van Neptunus before 1682

This is an engraving of a fountain with Neptune by Jean Lepautre. The formal arrangement of the fountain’s design draws the eye upwards from the tiered basin to the imposing figure of Neptune, set against a meticulously detailed architectural and garden backdrop. The engraving employs a sophisticated use of line, varying its weight to suggest depth and texture. The cascading water is rendered with fine, parallel strokes, creating a sense of fluid motion. The overall composition is rigorously symmetrical. This symmetry can be seen as reflecting the period's interest in rational order and the control of nature, characteristic of the Baroque aesthetic. Here, the fountain emerges not merely as a source of water, but as a symbolic display of power and artistic control, inviting interpretation within broader discourses of art, nature, and authority.