Scène uit La Gerusalemme Liberata 1745

This is Martin Schedel’s etching, “Scène uit La Gerusalemme Liberata," made sometime between the late 17th and early 18th century. It depicts a scene from Torquato Tasso’s epic poem, "Jerusalem Delivered," which was incredibly popular at the time. At first glance, the etching seems to celebrate an idealized vision of heroism and beauty. A knight stands poised, perhaps surprised, in front of a group of nymphs, one playing the lute. Look closer, and you see how this reflects the gendered expectations of the era. The knight, armed and ready, embodies masculine virtue, while the nymphs are presented as objects of beauty, existing solely for the male gaze. They are passive and exposed. It’s interesting to consider how Schedel, as a man in a patriarchal society, reinforces these stereotypes, even as he draws from a narrative that was meant to inspire and uplift. The ornamental border which frames the scene further encloses the figures within the rigid expectations of society. The etching invites us to consider the complex interplay between power, gender, and representation in art and literature. It encourages us to think about how artists negotiate and, at times, perpetuate the norms of their time.