Grotesque with Bands of Repeating Elements, Including Two Friezes with Swans at the Lowest Level 1562

Editor: This is *Grotesque with Bands of Repeating Elements, Including Two Friezes with Swans at the Lowest Level* by Jacques Androuet Du Cerceau. It's a small print. What strikes me is the sheer density of imagery! What can you tell me about its historical context? Curator: Du Cerceau was instrumental in popularizing the grotesque style. Consider how these prints functioned: circulating design ideas, shaping taste, and demonstrating princely power through ornamental excess. Editor: So, it's about power? Curator: Precisely. These images weren’t just decorative; they communicated status and cultural aspirations. The grotesque became a visual language of the elite. Editor: It's fascinating to think about the politics embedded in something that seems purely ornamental. Curator: Indeed, the public role of art is always intertwined with the socio-political forces of its time.