A King Pursued by a Unicorn c. 1555

Jean Duvet created this engraving, ‘A King Pursued by a Unicorn,’ in the 16th century. The eye is immediately drawn to the frenetic energy conveyed through the intricate network of lines, which create a dense, almost claustrophobic scene. The composition is divided into chaotic groupings of figures and forms, rendered in stark contrasts of light and shadow. Duvet's technique emphasizes the surface, challenging traditional notions of depth and perspective. The symbolism of the unicorn and its pursuit suggests themes of purity, power, and perhaps even a critique of the monarchy. The detailed rendering invites a semiotic reading of the individual elements, each contributing to a larger narrative of human and mythical struggle. The relationship between the figures and the landscape destabilizes conventional symbolic meanings. Duvet’s handling of line and form is not just a technical exercise but a deliberate engagement with broader philosophical and cultural ideas, revealing art as a continuous process of interpreting and reinterpreting.