Twee cartouches 1657 - 1685

Editor: This print, "Twee cartouches," by an anonymous artist, dates back to between 1657 and 1685. The intricate engravings of these two frames have a rather imposing character, what do you see in them? Curator: I see the visual language of power and privilege during the Baroque period. Cartouches, like these, were often used to frame coats of arms, family crests, and other symbols of identity for the elite. How do these stylized frames shape, and perhaps restrict, notions of belonging and social hierarchy? Editor: Restrict, how so? Curator: These cartouches weren't merely decorative; they were carefully crafted statements. Who was able to commission them, who did they include, and conversely, who did they implicitly exclude? Consider the ways visual representations like these bolstered social power for a select few. Do you notice the recurring motifs – the grotesque masks, the sculpted figures? Editor: Yes, quite detailed. The masks almost appear theatrical. Curator: Exactly. And that's crucial. Baroque art often employed drama and spectacle to project authority. The overt display of wealth and status, especially in contrast to the widespread poverty of the time, demands we examine the ethics of such extravagant displays. What does it mean to carve out these spaces, both literally and figuratively? Editor: So, it’s a dialogue between the form and function? Curator: Precisely. The beauty of the lines masks the potent message of power, so we must continually ask: Whose stories were deemed worthy of being framed, and whose were systematically left out? Editor: Thank you. I’ve certainly learned a lot about the context in which art like this was made. It prompts reflection on symbols of authority even today.