Speculum Romanae Magnificentiae: Perseus 1585 - 1612

Curator: This print, dating from 1585 to 1612, is attributed to Giacomo Lauri and it's part of the Speculum Romanae Magnificentiae. What do you see? Editor: He looks... grumpy. Seriously ripped, sure, but also like someone just told him he had to stay late on a Friday. And that helmet under his foot is begging for mercy. Curator: Right, this Perseus figure needs unpacking. The engraving captures a moment laden with political and social undercurrents. Note how the body is rendered - muscular, idealised, referencing classical Greek sculpture - yet bearing a certain stiffness. Consider how these representations participated in constructing and reinforcing notions of power. Editor: Stiffness is a good word for it! He feels more like a well-built monument than a person, doesn’t he? But it’s also sort of awesome, in that "larger-than-life" way they were going for, I suppose. The attention to detail in those muscles is pretty wild, like a roadmap of anatomy. Curator: Indeed. This portrayal echoes Mannerist ideals. By exaggerating musculature, the artist doesn't merely depict strength; he constructs a visual argument for a specific kind of authority – rooted in idealized, masculine virtue and intertwined with political agendas prevalent in Renaissance Rome. The male gaze is very pronounced here. Editor: Okay, so less superhero, more symbol. I get that. It almost makes him sadder somehow. Like, trapped under the weight of what he's supposed to represent. He is standing over Medusa, so did his story have other exploitive angles to consider? Curator: The figure does carry multiple burdens. The image operates on various levels; on the one hand it reinforces specific hierarchical ideologies through the idealised form, and on the other, participates in a larger visual dialogue surrounding power and masculinity. Editor: Wow, seeing all those layers...It really puts a spin on what looks, at first glance, like just another dude showing off his abs, doesn't it? I think I see it differently now! Curator: It's in recognising these contextual depths that our understanding shifts and evolves, offering nuanced readings of these historic depictions.