Three magicians burning a snake, from the Scherzi 1738 - 1755

Editor: This is "Three magicians burning a snake, from the Scherzi," a print and etching by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo made between 1738 and 1755. It’s full of bizarre details. What strikes me most is how unsettling the scene feels, like a stage for a dark, ambiguous ritual. How do you interpret this work? Curator: Tiepolo, working during the Baroque period, used these “Scherzi” or “capricious” prints to explore the shadowy corners of human experience. Consider the era’s obsession with exoticism and the "other." These figures, possibly imagined as magicians or alchemists, can be examined through the lens of power dynamics. Who is allowed to perform these rituals, and at whose expense? Is the snake, a symbol of transformation, being demonized? Editor: So, it’s not just a fantastical image, but potentially a commentary on societal fears and the exotic "other"? Curator: Exactly. Think about the role of magic and the occult during this period. It was often associated with marginalized groups – women, people of color, those outside the accepted social order. Could this print be a reflection on their persecution? Notice also the nonchalant child figure and the discarded musical instruments – suggesting a corruption or distortion of sacred practices. Editor: The detail about marginalized groups and how magic was often assigned to them opens up a whole new dimension for understanding this work. It feels much more pointed than just a random fantasy. Curator: Precisely. By situating this artwork in its historical and social context, we can see it as part of a broader dialogue about identity, power, and the construction of otherness. Perhaps even a critique. Editor: It makes you wonder what other secrets are hiding in plain sight in art. I'll never look at baroque art the same way again! Curator: And that's precisely why we keep having these conversations! To keep digging and reinterpreting the layers of meaning that artworks hold.