Venus and Other Deities c. 16th century

Editor: This is "Venus and Other Deities," a black-and-white print by Giorgio Ghisi. It feels so…dreamy, like a Renaissance cloudscape of gods. What do you make of it? Curator: Dreamy, yes, but also turbulent! Ghisi's engraving captures a Mannerist sensibility. See how the figures, while classical, are arranged in a slightly unsettling, almost claustrophobic space? It's less about ideal beauty and more about… heightened emotion. Editor: Heightened emotion? I guess I was focusing on the softness of the clouds. Curator: Precisely! That contrast is key. Think of it as a visual poem, a beautiful struggle. What do you feel now? Editor: I see what you mean, it feels more… complicated. It's not just a pretty picture. Curator: Exactly! Art rarely is, is it?