Ronde cartouche met tekst van Cleobulus 1558 - 1630

Editor: This is a print called "Ronde cartouche met tekst van Cleobulus," dating back to somewhere between 1558 and 1630, created by Johannes or Lucas van Doetechum. It's incredibly detailed. The Baroque style really makes it pop. What strikes you most about it? Curator: Oh, it's like a delicious visual puzzle, isn’t it? For me, it’s the tension. Look at the figures straining, the precarious balance of elements, that feeling of abundance verging on overload – typical of the late Renaissance fascination with the natural world and classical learning colliding head-on. It's almost bursting with meaning…Do you notice the motto in the roundel? "Dum fecunda fortuna ar/ridet, farpertire noli, / aducrfa perstrepente/ moli frangi,"… It adds another layer, doesn’t it? It almost feels like a personal motto. How do you read the image alongside those phrases? Editor: Interesting! It’s about good times not going on forever. But even in bad times you must not be broken…I guess that the image can be interpreted as a personal statement that must not get bogged down by all the adornment in order to stand the test of time, as you would in life. Curator: Exactly! It is thought-provoking, don't you think? How societal status, even the visual image must stand for more than just aesthetics, it's a story of survival too. So, you could reflect those feelings of optimism as if seeing a little secret tucked within the engraving, the idea that you can push through. What will *you* pull out from this print when you leave here today? Editor: I like what you said. It really inspires hope. I can go beyond my art history readings! Thank you for offering an introspective angle.