Fotoreproductie van een tekening, voorstellende Redcrosse en Duessa naast een beek before 1871

Here we see an anonymous drawing of "Redcrosse and Duessa beside a brook". The eye is immediately drawn to the intricate interplay of light and shadow, a hallmark of the printmaking process. The composition is organized around contrasting textures. Note how the dense, tangled foliage in the background sets off the smoother, more defined forms of the figures. This contrast isn't just visual; it's semiotic. The wild, uncontrolled nature around them mirrors the moral ambiguity of the scene, where Redcrosse finds himself seduced by Duessa’s false beauty. Consider the lines: see how they vary in thickness and direction, creating a sense of depth and movement. It challenges fixed meanings. The artist destabilizes the clear moral categories of good and evil, inviting us to reflect on the complexities inherent in human experience. Ultimately, this drawing functions as more than just an illustration; it serves as a visual metaphor for the broader themes of temptation and deception.