Dode ridder (Orlando?) wordt door vrouw en geniï weggedragen 1652 - 1708

Jean Cotelle II created this drawing with pen in gray ink and brush in gray wash. It shows a scene teeming with figures in a wooded landscape. At first glance, the composition is quite classical, with a central grouping of figures flanked by more static elements. However, the energy of the cherubs pulling on the fallen knight introduces a dynamic tension. The use of grisaille lends a dreamlike quality, the figures emerging from and receding into the tonal gradations. It invites us to consider the semiotic interplay between the classical motifs and the more playful, almost subversive elements. Cotelle uses the formal structure of classical composition, yet undermines it through the implied narrative and the active, mischievous cherubs. In doing so, he challenges fixed notions of heroism, prompting a deeper engagement with the themes of power, vulnerability, and the transient nature of glory. It’s a reminder that art’s meaning is not static, but a field of continuous interpretation.