Gobrias groet koning Meleander en zijn dochter Argenis 1624

Claude Mellan created this engraving, "Gobrias Greets King Meleander and His Daughter Argenis," in the 17th century. Note how Mellan masterfully uses line to define form, creating a structured yet ethereal quality. The composition is divided into distinct horizontal registers, each telling its part of the narrative. At the forefront, we see the figures of Gobrias, Meleander, and Argenis, rendered with detailed cross-hatching to give them weight and presence. Behind them, Mellan employs lighter, more delicate lines to depict the landscape and the sea, creating a sense of depth. The figures' gestures and the arrangement of bodies guide the eye through the scene, inviting us to decode the underlying story of power, diplomacy, and familial relations. This careful orchestration of line and space doesn't just depict a scene; it constructs a narrative, inviting contemplation on the dynamics of human interaction within a structured, almost theatrical setting.