Ornament met een adelaar onder een baldakijn 1683 - 1733

Editor: So, we're looking at an engraving entitled "Ornament met een adelaar onder een baldakijn," or "Ornament with an Eagle Under a Canopy," made sometime between 1683 and 1733. It's attributed to Bernard Picart and it’s at the Rijksmuseum. My first thought is how dynamic it feels, even though it’s just lines. What grabs your attention? Curator: Ah, a delicious tangle of Baroque exuberance! For me, it's like peering into a fever dream of Louis XIV. Imagine, this isn't just decoration; it's a statement. The eagle, bold and proud beneath its canopy, screams power, right? But then you’ve got these little cherubs, precariously balanced, almost struggling under the weight of the ornament. It's that push and pull – grandeur versus the delightfully absurd – that I find so engaging. What do you make of those mischievous cherubs? Editor: They definitely bring a playful energy! I hadn’t thought about the struggle aspect, though. It's like the weight of the establishment is… a lot to bear? Curator: Precisely! Or perhaps they’re celebrating it, wrestling joyfully with the very symbols of authority. Consider the era. Think about the rising merchant class, starting to question absolute power. Is this ornament purely celebratory, or is there a sly wink hidden within those curls and flourishes? That's the beauty of Baroque; it whispers as much as it shouts. Does seeing them as possibly subversive change anything for you? Editor: Wow, I love that idea. It gives the piece so much more depth, thinking of it as maybe a little rebellious instead of just decorative. I'll definitely look at Baroque art differently now. Curator: And I’m going to think about how much these little cherubs lift every day. Thanks!