Horizontale cartouche met twee kinderen 1657 - 1685

Editor: This is a Horizontal Cartouche with Two Children, an engraving created anonymously sometime between 1657 and 1685. It feels almost like looking at a playful architectural sketch, but those kids lounging around it make it more whimsical. What’s your take on it? Curator: Oh, this piece tickles my fancy! It’s more than just a sketch; it's a little glimpse into the Baroque obsession with ornamentation. Imagine this cartouche framing a royal decree, a family crest, or even… dare I say, a particularly flattering self-portrait? Those cherubs, or ‘putti’, weren't just decoration; they symbolized innocence, divine love, and a touch of mischief. Don't you just adore how they’re draped so nonchalantly? Like, “Oh, this old thing? We’re just holding up the most important declaration in the land.” What purpose do you think that adds to this sort of piece? Editor: That’s so interesting! I never thought about what it would actually frame. It's funny imagining them as the set dressing to someone's portrait. I guess that would be quite the status symbol at the time, and I didn’t quite understand that before! Curator: Precisely! It was all about projecting power and prestige with a wink. And see those swirling, almost excessive lines? That’s the Baroque embracing the dramatic. It makes you wonder what secrets these cheeky cherubs have witnessed over the centuries, doesn’t it? It all comes alive somehow. Editor: Definitely, I'm actually starting to see this in a completely new way. Thanks!