Feast Calendar in Pictures and Songs, Sacred and Secular (Fest-Kalender in Bildern und Liedern, Geistlich und Weltlich) 1834 - 1839

This is a page from Franz Graf von Pocci's "Feast Calendar in Pictures and Songs," a book made with ink on paper. The composition is divided into vignettes and text, creating a dialogue between image and script. The artist employs stark contrasts, achieved through finely etched lines. These are clustered to create depth and shadow but remain sparse enough to give a sense of openness. The architectural framing within the image, reminiscent of a stage, draws attention to the performance of social roles. The figures, rendered with careful detail, are set against backgrounds that oscillate between depth and flatness, typical in graphic arts. The semiotic structure relies on established cultural codes to convey meaning. The shields and heraldic symbols, for instance, are loaded with historical and social significance, representing power and lineage. Pocci uses these visual cues to not just depict, but also to comment on, the social hierarchies of his time.