Design for Title-Page 1700 - 1800

This is an anonymous design for a title page, rendered in pen and brown ink with gray wash. In it we see a confluence of mythical, gendered, and racialized figures. A regal woman sits enthroned, draped in classical robes, while a horned satyr leans familiarly over her shoulder, his gaze directed to the viewer. At her feet, putti play, seemingly oblivious to the scene unfolding behind them. In the shadows, a figure raises a club, a subtle reminder of the violence underpinning even pastoral scenes. The juxtaposition of the refined, idealized woman with the bestial satyr speaks to enduring cultural anxieties about female virtue and male desire. The use of putti, often associated with innocence and purity, further complicates the narrative. What unspoken stories do you imagine these figures hold? Consider the power dynamics at play, and how these classical motifs reflect the social and moral codes of their time.