Sculptuur van Goudea en een sculptuur van Salmanazar before 1885

Jane Dieulafoy made this print of two sculptures, titled 'Sculpture van Goudea en een sculptuur van Salmanazar'. The print is split with Goudea and Salmanazar, and is bisected by the fold of the book, creating a symmetrical composition. The images are presented in a traditional, almost archaeological style, focusing on clarity and detail rather than artistic interpretation. The texture of the stone is palpable, conveying a sense of the age and materiality of these ancient artifacts. The monochromatic palette emphasizes form and structure. Dieulafoy's rendering underscores a structuralist perspective, reducing complex cultural objects to their basic visual components, inviting viewers to decode these forms through a semiotic lens. These sculptures, rendered in a straightforward manner, challenge any fixed interpretation. The stark presentation of form and texture compels us to consider how these elements function not just aesthetically, but as conduits of cultural memory, reflecting a larger discourse on history, representation, and the enduring power of form.