Vaas met drie oren 1764

Curator: Welcome! We are standing before an engraving from 1764 by Benigno Bossi entitled, "Vaas met drie oren" or "Vase with three ears," here at the Rijksmuseum. Bossi worked in a Neoclassical style, rendering idealized forms often inspired by classical antiquity. Editor: Wow, three ears? That's a Freudian slip waiting to happen! It’s kind of stark, isn't it? All those crisp lines, like an architect’s daydream about garden parties gone austere. Curator: The vase's design speaks volumes about the cultural values of the time. The ear-like handles aren't merely functional; they evoke ancient amphorae, linking it to a lineage of objects with deep symbolic significance relating to trade, ritual, and commemoration. Geometric perfection in form suggests an underlying order. Editor: So, it’s like a coded message back to the glory days of empires, only this time told through kitchenware. All that precision! But that one odd "ear"... almost feels like the artist winking, disrupting the stuffy formality. Curator: Precisely. The Neoclassical artists found a harmonious blend between aesthetic appeal and functionality. Bossi's work captures that aspiration but maybe that playful 'mistake' hints toward artistic rebellion that will come. That desire to reimagine what beauty means by toying with proportion. Editor: Maybe? Or he simply knocked back too much Chianti. Jokes aside, the craftsmanship is amazing—you can almost feel the smooth, cool ceramic. But those details draw you in: the subtle shading and almost tactile fluting. What does this mean? Is it longing, regret, or some deep secret in black and white? Curator: Perhaps it signifies all those things—a vessel holding emotions and a reflection of societal ambitions, even errors and humor. And thanks to the enduring power of printmaking, these themes could reach a much wider audience. Editor: Well, it certainly got me thinking. This simple vessel becomes a strange, eloquent mirror. Makes you wonder what mundane object might encapsulate *our* era’s hopes and fears centuries from now. Curator: It gives a new perspective, doesn't it? These echoes through time are what keeps artworks relevant.