Cycnus and Hyrie 1606

Editor: Here we have Antonio Tempesta's "Cycnus and Hyrie," an etching from sometime between the late 16th and early 17th century. The mood feels oddly…transformative? What do you make of it? Curator: Transformative is spot on! Tempesta, with his flair for the dramatic, has captured a moment thick with mythological metamorphosis. See how he uses line to suggest movement? Editor: The swan taking flight, and the figure on the rock? Curator: Exactly! It's like a visual Ovid, isn't it? Each character poised between one form and another, caught in a moment of intense change. Editor: So it’s all about change and transformation. Curator: Yes. It seems to me that Tempesta invites us to reflect on the fluid nature of identity itself. Editor: I didn't see that at all. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure! It’s amazing what a second look can reveal.