Droom 1525 - 1565

Nicolas Beatrizet created this engraving called Droom in the 16th century. It's a complex image, reflective of the intricate, often contradictory, philosophies of the Renaissance. The male figure dominating the center reclines against a sphere, a symbol of knowledge and earthly power, while a winged figure pierces his head with a spear. This act of violent intrusion is surrounded by visions of love and torment. What does it mean to have violence and beauty co-existing? How does power affect desire, and vice versa? The box filled with masks suggests the multiple identities we perform, and the secrets we conceal. Beatrizet, working in a world of religious upheaval and humanist thought, uses this piece to ask us about the pain and pleasure of existence. The pursuit of knowledge, the burden of identity, and the ever-present specter of violence. "Droom" invites us to reflect on our dreams, our fears, and the masks we wear.