Panurge en de hogepriesteres Bakbuk 1703 - 1767

Jacob Folkema created this engraving, "Panurge en de hogepriesteres Bakbuk," sometime between 1692 and 1767. The print plunges us into a scene set in an opulent, imagined space. The composition is constructed with intricate lines that define the architecture and figures, creating a dynamic interplay of light and shadow, drawing our eyes to the ritual at its center. The artist manipulates scale, positioning figures at different sizes, which disrupts spatial logic and may symbolize a disruption of social norms. We see the influence of semiotics in the attire of the figures, and the setting of the artwork which serve as codes that communicate social roles. Folkema prompts a questioning of fixed meanings and conventional values through this calculated destabilization. The work serves as a lens through which viewers are invited to engage with the fluidity of interpretation and the constructed nature of reality.