Smell 1561

Curator: Cornelis Cort created this engraving, "Smell," sometime around the late 16th century, currently held at the Harvard Art Museums. It's a detailed allegorical scene. Editor: Immediately, I'm struck by the abundance of floral imagery – the woman adorned with blossoms, the overflowing vase, even the landscape feels perfumed. It evokes a strong sense of idealized sensory experience. Curator: Indeed. Note the meticulous rendering of the flowers, their textures almost palpable through Cort's engraving technique. It demonstrates the labor involved, a material transformation of observation into art. Editor: Beyond simple representation, flowers often carry symbolic weight: purity, love, ephemeral beauty. Here, combined with the reclining figure, it speaks to the ephemeral nature of sensory pleasure. The dog, too, adds layers, a symbol of fidelity but also instinct. Curator: The printmaking process itself is key here. The lines etched onto the plate, the pressure applied to transfer the image—these speak to a broader culture of reproduction and dissemination of knowledge. Editor: A fascinating synthesis of nature, artifice, and symbolism. It's a reminder of how deeply intertwined our senses are with cultural meaning. Curator: Precisely. Reflecting on this highlights just how much labor underlies even the most seemingly simple allegories.