Two Fencers, from Fencers, plate 5 1552

Curator: Right now we are standing in front of "Two Fencers, from Fencers, plate 5" created in 1552 by Dirck Volckertsz Coornhert. It is an engraving, a print of two men fencing, and it belongs to the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Editor: Well, the first thing that strikes me is the energy. There's something incredibly raw and dynamic about this image, even though it's static. They both look so concentrated! I love the use of the negative space as well, so that you can fully take in the detail of the figures. Curator: Yes, Coornhert was working during a period of significant exchange between Italian and Northern European art. Notice how the artist is using linear perspective to construct the figures, with very prominent musculature in those bodies; however, it does seem like he is referencing classical antiquity to create a very strong focus on form. This speaks to the burgeoning interest in classical forms characteristic of the Italian Renaissance. Editor: Exactly! And that interest becomes very vivid, and sort of playful for me when I notice the fact that both fencers are almost nude... They only cover the most intimate body parts with cloth. The way that those shadows play across their skin! Makes me wonder if there's a sense of bravado being performed, or like some kind of dance almost. Curator: It could very well be the performance of mastery here, even perhaps subtly reflecting power dynamics, since printmaking itself at the time was also about the assertion of artistic labor in society. Editor: What fascinates me is how timeless yet so historically situated this feels, like peeking into a long-gone gymnasium. Curator: Looking at the tools and artistic processes in printmaking reveals so much about that society's perception of skilled work and distribution of visual culture at large. Editor: This engraving is a potent little snapshot in time. Curator: Indeed; hopefully this helps to spark new curiosities in our listeners!