A Rearing Horse Viewed Frontally 1590

Editor: Here we have Antonio Tempesta’s "A Rearing Horse Viewed Frontally". It's undated, but Tempesta lived from 1555 to 1630. The medium is printmaking, and I’m immediately struck by the horse’s dynamic pose and the intricate detail. What do you see in this piece? Curator: The dynamism is certainly arresting. Note how the linear quality of the etching technique serves to accentuate the musculature of the horse, while the landscape elements are rendered with a more diffuse application of line. Consider the textural interplay. Editor: So, it’s less about the subject and more about how it is composed? Curator: Precisely. Observe the deliberate contrast. Notice, also, the text at the bottom. It would be interesting to decode the semiotic relationship between image and text. Editor: I didn't even notice the text at first glance. It’s amazing how much is going on in this relatively small print.