Titelpagina voor: Reinier de Graaf, De mulierum organis generationi inservientibus tractatus novus, Leiden, 1672 1672

Editor: Here we have the title page for Reinier de Graaf’s "De mulierum organis generationi inservientibus tractatus novus," from 1672, printed using engraving. It strikes me as very austere and precise, yet the eagle gives it a little flair. What do you make of the composition, as a whole? Curator: From a Formalist perspective, it presents a compelling study in contrasts. The rigid geometry of the typography clashes quite interestingly with the organic form of the eagle and landscape depicted. Editor: I see what you mean. The lettering is so precise and structured, whereas the image has a freer, more illustrative quality. Curator: Exactly. Notice the interplay of positive and negative space. The dark, dense lines of the text are balanced by the open, lighter areas around the image. The engraver uses hatching techniques to create gradients and imply form. What effect does this have on you? Editor: I guess it focuses the eye. It’s directing my reading, separating blocks of information in order of importance. Curator: Precisely. Semiotically, how do you think we might read the relationship between image and text on this title page? Editor: Hmm… Perhaps the text grounds the image in a scientific reality, whilst the eagle hints at higher ideals or freedom of thought. The image enlivens the rather clinical title, perhaps to spark imagination! Curator: A plausible reading. Through careful arrangements of visual elements, the printer created an invitation to the reader that’s surprisingly effective. Editor: It's amazing how much you can learn from looking closely at the elements within an image and observing how they all relate. Thanks for illuminating it for me.