Book 1, Fable 16: the magician (La magicienne) 1719

Curator: Let's delve into Nicolas Henry Tardieu's 1719 engraving, "Book 1, Fable 16: the magician." You can find this miniature drama printed on paper at The Met. What captures you initially? Editor: A shiver, definitely. This magician presiding over a chaotic scene, rendered in such crisp, dark lines... It's a powerful concoction of fantasy and something vaguely unsettling. Like a glimpse into a dream where beauty dances with dread. Curator: Dreams, or perhaps nightmares. Tardieu, adapting a drawing by Charles-Antoine Coypel, captures a very particular moment in the history of printmaking. These detailed engravings were incredibly popular, widely distributed, effectively acting as a form of accessible visual culture. What you are reacting to could also stem from that intention. Editor: So it's meant to stir up such potent responses? Knowing that it circulated widely back then adds another layer of intrigue. It makes you wonder what these symbols – the torches, the masked figures, even that rather sinister cupid – might have signified for its original audience. Curator: Exactly! It's thought this imagery served as a criticism of societal facades and moral ambiguities during the Baroque period, when everything beautiful was expected to hold something sinister just under the surface. Magic, in this context, is a metaphor for illusion and perhaps deception. Editor: Interesting. There is definitely something in this little image which suggests hidden forces at work. Look at how the light seems to emanate from the magician. Is it her power? And the way the shadows claw...it is very Baroque to highlight this unsettling effect. What else does this tiny image communicate, if you feel the need to add meaning onto all this darkness? Curator: It's a testament to the enduring power of images, isn’t it? Whether intended as critique or entertainment, these prints fostered dialogue, prompting reflection on the seen and unseen forces that shape our world. Editor: Even after centuries, it can conjure its spells. The technical finesse of the engraving amplifies this, I believe. This whole tableau is something that burrows into your mind, it’s no surprise it survives today.