Twee eenhoorns en een leeuw before 1650

Editor: This is "Two Unicorns and a Lion," an engraving made before 1650 by Antonio Tempesta, currently held at the Rijksmuseum. What strikes me is the somewhat stiff posture of the large unicorn and the almost casual inclusion of a lion. It feels more like a heraldic image than a depiction of nature. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a fascinating intersection of science, power, and belief. Prints like these were not just decorative; they circulated knowledge about the world. The lion, a symbol of royalty and strength, is placed almost subserviently. Do you think that positioning is accidental? Editor: I hadn’t considered it that way. I guess I assumed the lion was just part of the background. So, the unicorn held greater power in the European imagination at that time? Curator: Precisely. Consider the socio-political context. The unicorn horn, or "alicorn," was believed to have medicinal properties. Ruling families collected them, demonstrating wealth and access to exotic knowledge, reinforcing power through a narrative of invincibility. Notice how the larger unicorn is labelled 'Monoceros' and the smaller 'Allicorno'; this is about classifying knowledge. It wasn't about factual representation, but symbolic capital. Editor: It's amazing how this image, which seems almost quaint at first glance, tells us so much about the mindset of the time. I am now thinking about what role the contemporary art plays today to demonstrate cultural power, status, or political persuasion. Curator: Exactly! Images are never neutral. Considering their historical function encourages us to analyze how they operate politically even now. This exercise reminds us that museums serve to house those visual records of socio-political narratives that persist even today. Editor: I will now think differently of historical artworks; this exchange makes me more conscious of what power can reside in art, a very fruitful learning experience!