De apotheose van Homerus 1658

Curator: This is "The Apotheosis of Homer" a baroque print by Giovanni Battista Galestruzzi, created around 1658. What strikes you about this engraving? Editor: The stark monochrome, combined with the multi-tiered structure, lends a somewhat austere and intellectual feel. It almost reads like a sculpted monument—layered history carved in relief. Curator: Indeed, the arrangement closely follows the visual rhetoric of triumphal arches and antique reliefs. The bottom register showcases a figure being crowned as others adore and attend to a sacrificial alter. Its echoes are in ancient traditions of hero worship and deification, transforming a mortal into a revered icon. The very placement at the base suggests the foundational importance of this tradition. Editor: That ascending structure—does it guide the eye upwards intentionally? I notice how the density of figures decreases, lending a lighter tone to the top tiers, leading to those reclining figures. Curator: The ascent echoes a symbolic journey. Each level represents a higher echelon of understanding and divine approval, with the reclining figure likely depicting a Zeus figure or, at minimum, an allegory to insight, overseeing and judging, you might say, the apotheosis presented beneath. It underscores Homer’s enduring legacy, framing his elevation in the realm of eternal recognition. It tells not just a singular event, but of the historical impact of those venerating a new mortal made immortal. Editor: The precise rendering of form is impressive given the material. Look at the drapery, for example, each fold given dimension by incredibly subtle gradations of line weight. I can imagine the labour required for the transfer between vision and plate. Curator: What's so intriguing is that Galestruzzi doesn’t just depict an event; he also offers a lens to view societal memory and its tendency to create symbols through honoring historical figures and their impact. We find not merely aesthetic skill but the layered impact of social and artistic memory. Editor: It's amazing how this artwork serves as an examination of aesthetic impact itself! Curator: Agreed, I find its ability to reveal societal veneration through these ascending registers profound.