Series of Cartouches, in: Targhe ed altri ornati di varie e capricciose invenzioni (Cartouches and other ornaments of various and capricious invention, page 51) 1540 - 1560

Editor: This page comes from Cornelis Bos's "Series of Cartouches…," dating back to the mid-16th century, so we're talking Renaissance! It's a print from a book, full of ornate details surrounding what looks like a calming landscape. The mood is almost meditative, what strikes you about this piece? Curator: Meditative, yes, I see that. For me, this image is a curious dance between structure and escape. You've got this meticulously designed frame—classic Renaissance, practically shouting "order!"—yet it surrounds this wistful, wild landscape. Editor: It’s a contrast, definitely. So the cartouche itself—what would its function have been? Curator: Think of these cartouches as visual Lego bricks of the Renaissance. Artists and craftsmen used prints like these to get inspiration. A goldsmith might pull a figure, a sculptor, that little flourish… The image, framed, invites daydreams. You are a craftsman needing inspiration: What's your story, right now? Editor: So it's like a catalogue of cool parts! It makes me think about remixing art today. A digital artist sampling bits from here and there to create something new. Curator: Exactly! This isn't about high art aloofness. This is about the artist riffing, recombining. Did Bos imagine a twenty-first-century artist mining his work like this? Editor: Doubtful! It is easy to forget art had a more… practical purpose sometimes! This piece really blends fine art and utilitarian function. Thank you! Curator: The dialogue of design, eternally recycling! It all swirls back in… which makes staring at art always such an unexpected journey, doesn't it?