Ornamenten met Medusakoppen en het alziend oog uit de Vierschaar van het Stadhuis op de Dam 1655

Hubert Quellinus made this print of ornaments for Amsterdam’s Town Hall at some point in the 17th century. It is an engraving, meaning that the design was incised into a metal plate with a tool called a burin. Ink was then applied to the plate and wiped off the surface, remaining only in the incised lines. Finally, the image was transferred to paper under great pressure. As you can see, Quellinus’s print depicts fierce Medusa heads, and an all-seeing eye. These details were destined for the Vierschaar, or courtroom, of the Town Hall. Now, think about the labor involved. Not only the artist’s, but also the many stone carvers who would have translated Quellinus’s design into three dimensions. The concept of the all-seeing eye – and the petrifying gaze of Medusa – speaks to the need for justice to be both wise and severe. But for me, the real power of this print resides in the way it embodies the whole system of production required to make the Town Hall a reality. It collapses the distinction between design and execution.