Volharding 1560

Editor: Here we have "Volharding," an engraving from 1560 by Cornelis Cort, housed at the Rijksmuseum. I’m struck by the figure's stillness amidst this watery, wild setting. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a fascinating interplay of symbols meant to be deciphered. Consider the woman herself: do you notice the inscription "PERSEVERANTIA" above her head? This engraving, ripe with allegorical intent, embodies steadfastness, persistence in the face of mutability. Editor: Yes, now that you mention it, the inscription is rather prominent. So the fish, the marsh – they're not just part of the background? Curator: Absolutely not! The reeds suggest an environment of challenges and obstructions. And what about the seal beneath her, or the woman herself tightly embracing the fish? Don't you think the artist purposefully paired such unlikely and clashing images? Editor: They do seem juxtaposed. Is the implication that persistence is about controlling primal instincts, like the seal, and harnessing slippery opportunities, like the fish? Curator: Precisely! She tames the inconstant elements of water represented by the seal, and controls Fortuna, depicted by the fish she clutches tightly. And observe that single bird flying towards what may be dawn, the woman's head oriented in the opposite direction! A beautiful and striking depiction of hope in continued, directed perseverance. Editor: That’s fascinating. I never would have picked up on the nuances of those symbols on my own. Curator: Visual language is full of such memory encoded as imagery. This is why artworks like these become powerful artifacts of knowledge for us!