Lagena 1563

This print, Lagena, was made by Johannes and Lucas van Doetechum in 1563. It depicts a highly ornamented vessel, teeming with grotesque figures and fantastical creatures. The print’s style reflects the influence of the Northern Mannerism movement which favored elaborate, artificial compositions. Look closely at how the design incorporates classical motifs. These would have appealed to a sophisticated, educated audience. But there’s also a darker side to the image. The monstrous faces and distorted forms hint at a fascination with the irrational and the grotesque. In the 16th century, the Netherlands was undergoing immense social and religious upheaval, and in 1566 the iconoclasm would occur, which involved the destruction of Catholic religious imagery and art. It may be relevant that the image is not overtly religious, but emphasizes classical and humanist themes. To understand this print fully, we need to investigate the cultural context in which it was made, and the history of the printmaking industry. The Rijksmuseum’s collection is invaluable in this respect, as is the wealth of scholarship on the period.