A Triton on a Horned Chimerical Beast, and Two Children with a Turtle 16th-17th century

Curator: Odoardo Fialetti, born in Bologna in 1573, produced this intriguing print, “A Triton on a Horned Chimerical Beast, and Two Children with a Turtle." Editor: It’s intensely ornamental! The composition is bursting with energy, all flowing lines and baroque flourishes. Curator: Indeed. Consider the confident line work; Fialetti masterfully renders form and texture with a sophisticated use of hatching. Note the contrast between the smooth skin of the figures and the dense fur of the beast. Editor: But this "beast" isn't some neutral object. Hybrid creatures like this were deployed to instill terror and symbolize chaos, often used to reinforce hierarchies of power and control. The figures, however, appear to be reveling in this chaos. Curator: Perhaps we can appreciate it as an exploration of form and the artist’s virtuosity in printmaking. Editor: Or acknowledge how Fialetti engages with complex sociopolitical dynamics by representing bodies and power structures, however subtly. Curator: A keen reminder to consider the myriad layers of meaning embedded within even the most decorative of works. Editor: It’s a print that contains multitudes, a small window into a complex world.