Neptune c. 16th century

Editor: This anonymous print, titled "Neptune," depicts the god with several figures in an active composition. The scene feels charged with an almost unsettling energy. What strikes you about this work? Curator: This print speaks volumes about the construction of power and masculinity within historical narratives. Neptune, as a symbol of dominion over the seas, embodies a virile authority. What do you make of the figures surrounding him, and how might their positioning challenge or reinforce his power? Editor: They seem to be supplicants, almost adoring. Is there a commentary on colonialism present? Curator: Precisely. Consider the implications of depicting a powerful, often white, male figurehead as divinely entitled. How might this imagery have justified historical power structures related to maritime dominance and the exploitation of oceanic resources, and perpetuated inequalities? Editor: This has certainly opened my eyes to the cultural context of the piece. Thank you. Curator: My pleasure. It’s crucial to dissect how art reinforces or resists dominant ideologies.