Sol 

Editor: Here we have "Sol," an engraving, most likely from the Renaissance, created by Sebald Beham. It depicts a kingly figure riding a lion, and holding a sun with a face on it. What I find really striking is how the image combines regal authority with...well, kind of odd symbolism. What do you see in this piece? Curator: That's a great observation about the seeming oddity! From a historical perspective, we have to consider the political role of imagery at the time. Prints like this circulated widely and contributed to the construction of power. What looks bizarre to us could have resonated deeply within the symbolic language available at the time. Consider that Sol, or the sun, was often associated with rulers, with divine right. Editor: So the ruler holding the sun is maybe like a... power statement? Curator: Exactly. But power isn't simply asserted; it's negotiated. How do you read the relationship between the figure and the lion he's riding? Editor: The lion looks pretty subdued. Maybe it's about the ruler's power over nature, over base instincts? Curator: Precisely! And that control is also control over the populace. It is worth noting how readily available this piece was too – how do you think having an engraving like this change art consumption when compared to painted art? Editor: Well, being a print, it means a lot more people would see this work, allowing this image to spread. The original impact might've changed slightly each time, though, depending on the owner or location of the print. Curator: That’s a great point. Thinking about how readily art was being consumed at that point changes the importance of how it was made! Editor: I see! It's not just about the symbolism itself, but the impact it would have due to its wider distribution within the culture. I learned a lot, thank you!