Man with Wing; Man with Vase and Dog, from "Ex Antiquis Cameorum et Gemmae Delineata/ Liber Secundus/et ab Enea Vico Parmen Incis" 1599 - 1622

Curator: This intaglio print, entitled “Man with Wing; Man with Vase and Dog”, was created between 1599 and 1622 and attributed to an anonymous hand, and is part of the Met's collection. Editor: My initial reaction is that it feels like an exploration of contrasts. We have these two figures rendered in quite different poses and activities, sharing a single plane but almost inhabiting separate worlds. There's an unsettling quality to the juxtaposition. Curator: I find it incredibly interesting how the artist borrows figures from ancient cameos and gems, acting as a cultural bridge, recreating imagery from one era in a new form. What do you make of the "wing" attached to the one figure? To me, that almost places this in an allegorical context. Editor: Absolutely. The "Man with Wing" strikes me as awkward—a somewhat failed attempt at naturalism. He appears uncomfortable, seated on what might be rocky terrain with his crude wing, an appendage that defies functional flight. The etching feels rough in its execution. And, on the opposite side, the figure with the dog—it's as though this small scene, even the vessel being held, carries far less weight than the figure we initially see. Curator: Indeed, perhaps his discomfort indicates an inability to fully embody flight. We're presented with someone tethered to the earth but carrying a potent symbolic yearning. Whereas his counterpart seems content in his more domestic reality, almost pedestrian, one could argue, drawing our attention back to those historic gem forms. These representations act as touchstones, reminding us of the weight of history on our very perceptions. Editor: The crosshatching technique, while typical of engravings, lends an almost clinical air to the presentation. I can’t help but feel as though I am studying specimens rather than connecting with portrayed individuals. And yet, despite my discomfort, that tension feels central to its enduring quality as an artwork. Curator: I think it invites this prolonged reading, as you say, and through those very tensions. A powerful invocation of how symbols continuously transform while remaining anchored to specific origins. Editor: Yes, there's certainly a lot packed into such a small plane. A reminder of the powerful capacity that drawing has.