A Belted Pig and Two Cupids (or Geniuses) with a Butterfly (or Moth), from "Ex Antiquis Cameorum et Gemmae Delineata/ Liber Secundus/et ab Enea Vico Parmen Incis" 1599 - 1622

Curator: Good morning. I'd like to draw our attention to an intriguing engraving, attributed to an anonymous artist, dating between 1599 and 1622. It is titled "A Belted Pig and Two Cupids (or Geniuses) with a Butterfly (or Moth)," part of the series "Ex Antiquis Cameorum et Gemmae Delineata." Editor: My immediate impression is one of peculiar juxtaposition. A stout pig in a harness casually strolls above two struggling cherubs and a rather imposing vegetable – is that a carrot they're wrestling? Curator: Indeed. The "belted pig," which appears to be collared as well, could be interpreted in several ways. Pigs were often associated with gluttony, but a belted or harnessed pig may signify restraint, discipline or even luxury, being literally "well-kept." Editor: That tension between wild appetite and controlled indulgence is definitely palpable, especially in the context of these fleshy cupids straining against, well, what *is* that? It does look like a large root vegetable. I am struck by its slightly absurdist quality. How would a 17th-century audience react to the animal wearing harness like that, as some form of bizarre mascot of prosperity and discipline, as the age of exploration shifted toward the grand courts? Curator: Perhaps they'd appreciate the allegorical quality—the Mannerist style embraced symbolism, playing with contrasts to stimulate thought. The putti represent divine love while fighting what might be interpreted as a phallic object representing fertility. The insect hovers over all like fleeting time. It could underscore human existence's balance between earthly pleasures and spiritual pursuits. What do we learn by putting together different meanings together here? Editor: I think the composition's visual tension creates social critique. It highlights contradictions inherent in elite displays of wealth and self-control. The pig, burden and wealth become strange symbols. Curator: So it reveals social tension. Editor: Yes! Curator: I agree. A seemingly straightforward image, full of hidden symbolism. This piece captures so much of its time—the lavish display of status through morality's lenses, interpreted through very carefully selected figures. Editor: The picture definitely shows something unique: The visual conversation reminds me again how relevant the analysis of such art pieces are, revealing the contradictions inherent in the human experience.