XXXVIII Stamus hoc Danai loco 1614

This engraving, XXXVIII Stamus hoc Danai loco, was created by Roemer Visscher around the turn of the 17th century. A seemingly simple scene is rendered in the sharp, contrasting lines of engraving, depicting two figures engaged in what appears to be a children's game. The texture created by these lines gives a tactile quality to the forms, drawing our eye to the dynamic interaction between the two figures. The composition is structured around the balance of power and submission. One figure is seated on the other's back, inverting the natural order and prompting questions about hierarchy and role reversal. It uses a semiotic structure that communicates deeper cultural meanings about social order and the transience of power. Here, Visscher uses the visual language of the game to destabilize established meanings. Is it a commentary on the political and social upheavals of the time?