Purity c. 16th century

Curator: Ah, "Purity" by Agostino Veneziano. It's a rather enigmatic engraving. I find it... unsettling. Editor: Unsettling? Really? The delicate line work, the allegorical stillness...it's classically composed. Curator: Yes, but look at her face. The blank stare. And the unicorn nuzzling her finger—it feels like a forced intimacy. The backdrop only adds to the unease. Editor: The backdrop gives depth. Semiotically, the unicorn is a symbol of innocence tamed by virtue, a common Renaissance trope. Curator: Maybe, but it doesn’t quite sit right. It's as if Veneziano is questioning, not celebrating, the ideal. It's a purity that feels strangely…empty. Editor: I see your point, but I admire how Veneziano harnesses these classical symbols to deliver such a striking image. Curator: It gives you pause. To rethink the meaning of Purity, perhaps that's the point, and why it is so affecting. Editor: Indeed. A fascinating work either way.