The Rebirth of Mankind 1606

Curator: Here we have Antonio Tempesta's etching, "The Rebirth of Mankind." It's a small work, only about 10 by 12 centimeters. Editor: The stark black and white really emphasizes the drama. There's a strange energy in this piece. Curator: It illustrates the Greek myth of Deucalion and Pyrrha, who repopulated the world after the great flood. The figures throw stones that become humans. Editor: So, literally rebuilding humanity, stone by stone. I find the labor implied fascinating—recreation as repetitive, almost mundane. Curator: The symbolism is powerful. Stones, typically associated with hardness and death, become the source of new life. A visual paradox of creation. Editor: It makes you consider the materials themselves, and the labor needed to obtain and manipulate those materials. What a strange thought that humans are made from the most basic of materials. Curator: A very potent image, open to many interpretations. Editor: Indeed, a tangible meditation on origin and manufacture.