The contest between Apollo and Marysas 1535 - 1545

Editor: Here we have Niccolò Vicentino's "The Contest Between Apollo and Marysas," created sometime between 1535 and 1545. It's an ink print, sepia-toned and haunting. The composition feels really dynamic, a little unsettling even. What's your take on this, what strikes you? Curator: Haunting is a good word! It reminds me of certain dreams I used to have after too much lasagna. Anyway, this print is after a design by Raphael, who seems to be suggesting something quite poignant about artistic hubris, don’t you think? Editor: Hubris? I guess I see that. Apollo, so confident and…well, divine. Curator: Exactly. And that poor, tortured Marysas—it’s not just about skill, it’s about the cost of daring to challenge the established order. Do you get a sense of that struggle when you look at it? I almost feel the need to write a sonnet, or maybe just make some pasta. Editor: The texture in the print adds to that feeling of rawness for sure. Knowing it's a print and not an original drawing almost emphasizes the layers of interpretation involved, from Raphael's idea to Vicentino's execution. It seems really interesting to me that printmaking technology allowed for the dissemination of ideas, almost democratizing the creative impulse. Curator: "Democratizing the creative impulse"—I love that. Makes one wonder what these guys would have done with social media! In the end, perhaps all art is just a dialogue between mortals and the muses, with varying degrees of lasagna-induced dreams thrown in. Editor: Definitely. I'm going to think about Marysas next time I consider submitting to a journal. Thank you! Curator: My pleasure!