Jason carrying off the golden fleece 1690 - 1725

Editor: Here we have Jean-Baptiste Nolin’s engraving, "Jason Carrying Off the Golden Fleece," made sometime between 1690 and 1725. The image feels incredibly staged, theatrical almost, like a scene pulled directly from an opera. All of the characters are purposefully placed, which leads me to wonder what this piece says about power. How would you interpret this work through the lens of social and cultural history? Curator: It’s a keen observation that the work feels staged. It’s essential to consider the role prints like these played in disseminating classical narratives amongst the elites of the time. How do you think the choice of depicting this particular myth affected the print's audience? Editor: Perhaps the artist is trying to frame Jason as a classical hero and connect him to the divine? The cherubs are holding up what looks to be a victor's laurel above him, but I could also be wrong. I'd also venture to guess that having a connection to this mythological tale gives some cultural capital and cachet. Curator: Exactly! The artist's purpose was likely to solidify social hierarchies. These prints served as visual propaganda, reinforcing the authority and lineage of powerful families. Think about who could afford to collect these; and the power dynamics inherent in displaying ownership of such idealized imagery. Can you also imagine how a depiction like this influenced public perception? Editor: The wealthy were further legitimized. Now that I think about it, they are almost claiming kinship to these mythological beings! It also paints any rebellion against the powerful as acts against a preordained natural order, almost like challenging fate itself. Curator: Precisely! The art of this era very much worked in concert with the powers that be. Hopefully, by exploring Nolin's "Jason Carrying Off the Golden Fleece," you now see it's more than just a simple illustration. Editor: Definitely. I now realize that the visual arts can perpetuate ideological norms within the societies in which they are produced.