Et vanskabt barn med to hoveder 1558 - 1617

Editor: Here we have Hendrick Goltzius' engraving, "Et vanskabt barn med to hoveder", dating from around 1598. The work depicts a two-headed infant. I must admit, I find the image unsettling, almost as though it captures both vulnerability and the macabre. What catches your eye about it? Curator: The presence of a two-headed child within the context of Goltzius' era speaks volumes. Aberrations of nature, during that period, were frequently seen as divine omens, reflections of social or moral disorder. Notice the careful rendering of the figures. What do you suppose the emphasis on detail conveys? Editor: Perhaps the scientific interest of the time, or maybe the fascination with human oddities in general? Curator: Exactly! Consider too that engravings often served as disseminators of information. Images of "monstrous births," like this, circulated widely, contributing to a shared visual culture, embedding this visual into our cultural memory. Does the composition - two views of the same figure - remind you of anything? Editor: It makes me think of anatomical studies and how they often used multiple views to give a full understanding. I guess it is sort of the same impulse here, isn’t it? A desire to “understand” the body, even if the subject is considered aberrant? Curator: Precisely. This is a prime example of how art acts as a cultural mirror, reflecting and shaping societal anxieties, beliefs, and curiosities across centuries. Looking at the symbol reinforces the beliefs. Editor: It’s fascinating to realize that what appears initially as a morbid fascination can reveal layers of cultural meaning when explored more deeply. Curator: Indeed. It's in these seemingly strange corners of art history that we often find the richest insights into ourselves and the societies we build.