Noli Me Tangere before 1585

Editor: This is "Noli Me Tangere" by Gerard de Jode. It's a print, and I’m struck by the contrast between the figures in the foreground and the detailed garden in the background. What do you see in the composition that stands out to you? Curator: The balance achieved between the corporeal forms and the structured garden is compelling. Consider how the artist uses line and color to distinguish the divine from the earthly, the idealized versus the cultivated. Editor: That's interesting. So, the figures are meant to stand apart from the garden itself? Curator: Precisely. The garden, with its ordered rows and contained nature, provides a framework against which the figures' dynamic interaction unfolds. Note also the tonal qualities and how they influence the viewer's eye. Editor: I hadn't considered the tones in that way, thank you! Curator: Indeed, observing the artist's command over line and form illuminates the overall structure.