Rape of Helen c. 16th century

Editor: This etching is titled "Rape of Helen" by Étienne Delaune, and it's teeming with figures. The composition is so busy; it's hard to know where to focus. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Oh, what a scrum! Delaune crams the frame, doesn't he? For me, it's all about theatricality. It's almost as if he’s directing a play, and we're getting the whole epic in one go, from architecture to landscape to narrative. What do you make of Helen's pose? Editor: She seems like she doesn't know what's happening. Curator: Precisely! It’s this moment of uncertainty that Delaune captures. Editor: Interesting, the chaos and the confusion seems to work! Curator: It certainly does, a real testament to dramatic storytelling!