Juno verschrikt door de Furiën 1501 - 1580

Editor: This etching, "Juno verschrikt door de Furiën" by Giulio Bonasone, created sometime between 1501 and 1580, feels incredibly theatrical. The exaggerated figures and swirling lines give it a sense of dramatic chaos. What strikes you most about this print? Curator: The immediate visual language certainly evokes the Mannerist style! Note the symbolic weight given to Juno; the radiant light almost deifies her, placing her in stark contrast with the Furies, those embodiments of guilt and vengeance. See how their serpent hair visually echoes anxiety and inner turmoil. Editor: The serpents are definitely unsettling. They also seem to have their names printed above their heads! Does this image connect with any particular stories from classical mythology? Curator: Indeed. The scene represents a specific episode: Juno, Queen of the Gods, being tormented by the Furies. These figures represent not just torment, but the cyclical nature of revenge, the haunting persistence of unresolved trauma. Can you see how that translates into a larger commentary about power, guilt, and the human condition? Editor: I see that! Juno’s shock makes the queen seem almost human and the psychological impact of revenge, not necessarily its morality, becomes central to this narrative moment. Are the cherubs above an indication of eventual salvation? Curator: Possibly. The Renaissance loved these symbolic framings, to use mythology to understand our moral complexities. The image is about psychological unrest as much as it is about ancient deities and stories, making Juno vulnerable as much as they look monstrous. Editor: Seeing those Furies as manifestations of inner demons changes how I read the entire composition. Curator: It demonstrates how visual symbols offer layers of emotional, cultural, and psychological interpretation.