Medaillon met de Dwaasheid en de Hoogmoed c. 1577 - 1578

Curator: "Medaillon met de Dwaasheid en de Hoogmoed," made around 1577-1578 by Theodor de Bry. It's an engraving. Editor: Yes, it’s teeming with figures and detail. It feels quite… busy, wouldn't you say? The circular composition really packs everything in. What is your take on it? Curator: The busyness you observe is intrinsic to its semiotic function. Notice the density of the lines, how they construct space and form. The interplay of light and shadow isn’t mimetic but illustrative, directing your eye to key compositional elements: the central portrait of Folly and Pride. Consider how the artist uses line and texture to create this dynamic tension between chaos and order. Editor: You're right. The central portrait does draw you in, but what do you make of the bizarre figures surrounding it? Some seem monstrous, others regal. Curator: These grotesque and noble forms contribute to a visual language denouncing folly. How does their placement, specifically the way they are distributed in each quarter of the circle, impact the overall message, considering the concepts of Pride and Folly which are presented in the work's center? Editor: The positioning gives each set of characters their own…stage almost. I am still trying to decode the symbolism. I am interpreting Pride and Folly as not confined but unleashed on the world, like the figures circling it. I suppose it also illustrates how the sins interact. Curator: An insightful observation on your part, that the artist has succeeded in portraying these vices as relational and pervasive. It highlights the intricacies that a Formalist perspective reveals. It would seem you are becoming well acquainted with this artwork, after all! Editor: Absolutely. I initially only noticed the intricate detail but analysing it, as we have done here, helped unpack and appreciate how the visual complexity conveys a deep narrative. Thank you for sharing your expertise.