Strook met twee ovale medaillons before 1676

Curator: Here we have an engraving from before 1676, whose creator remains unknown. It's titled "Strook met twee ovale medaillons" – "Strip with Two Oval Medallions" – and is currently held here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: Wow, it's so detailed! All those swirling leaves and little faces peering out... It feels very dramatic, almost like a dream I once had after eating too much cheese. Curator: The Baroque influence is clear, particularly in its decorative flair. We often see such ornamentation employed during this period as symbols of status, power and sophistication in everything from architecture to fashion. The emphasis on elaborate detail suggests this wasn't just a doodle, but perhaps a design element intended for wider production and dissemination. Editor: Design for...what, though? Bookplates? It seems the right size, maybe to slap onto the cover of some old dusty tome or perhaps the paneling for a grand study? Or a really fancy calling card? I love that it's a print, though; it has that old woodcut effect to it! Curator: Indeed! This print as a medium underscores the democratization of design aesthetics during the era. These intricate details became more accessible to a broader audience who could incorporate these symbols in their own lives, perhaps to signal aspiration or cultural affinity. Editor: You know, looking at the two blank medallions... it's like they're waiting for someone to fill them in, like a personalized coat-of-arms sort of situation. It would be a fun thought experiment in seeing how different hands might want to adapt the piece based on personal or family history. Or you could get really avant-garde with it, fill 'em up with duct tape and glitter. Curator: Intriguing, albeit unorthodox. These blank spaces could perhaps encourage reflection on themes of representation, perhaps about how people chose to represent their position within societal structures that Baroque ornamentation like this visually supported. Editor: Ah, so even the emptiness can speak volumes... kind of like my stomach before lunch. Well, it's a clever little thing! Makes you wonder who designed it and who used it and everything it has witnessed over the centuries. Curator: Exactly! It invites questions about access, interpretation, and, crucially, the continuous dialogue between past artistic practices and present cultural contexts. A quiet piece filled with possibilities.