Ornament 

Mathias Beutler created this Ornament using etching in the late 16th or early 17th century. Its sepia tones and horizontal registers evoke the feeling of flipping through the pages of an antique herbal or bestiary. The linear quality of the etching technique creates sharp outlines, defining the forms of flora and fauna. Notice how the composition is structured into three distinct bands, each presenting a different scene of nature's drama. In the top register, a hunter takes aim. The middle register, stags wander through a sparse landscape. The bottom register, we see predatory animals in pursuit, a ruthless tableau of hunt. The semiotic structure in the artwork reflects broader artistic and philosophical concerns about humanity’s relationship with nature. Through the stark contrast and structured layout, Beutler invites us to consider the systematic and often brutal order inherent in the natural world. The rigid lines of the work serve to both depict and dissect the natural world into observable components. By analyzing the formal qualities of the artwork, we reveal an understanding of the cultural discourse of its time.