Grotesken met Diana op wolk 1700 - 1725

Editor: So, this engraving from around 1700 to 1725 is called "Grotesken met Diana op wolk," made with intaglio and pen work. It’s by Johann Adam Delsenbach and lives here at the Rijksmuseum. It feels almost like a blueprint for decoration, or a fantastical wallpaper sample. What sense do you make of the historical context of this artwork? Curator: Well, the term "grotesque" itself holds historical weight. It originates from the rediscovery of ancient Roman decorative painting in underground ruins – grottoes. These designs, combining human, animal, and plant forms, were initially shocking, even considered monstrous, before becoming fashionable. Consider how this print would have been used. Editor: I see...maybe as inspiration for interior decoration? Something to show a craftsman? Curator: Precisely! Prints like this were crucial in disseminating artistic ideas. This was the internet of its day. Now, what's particularly fascinating is how Delsenbach merges the playful "grotesque" style with a classical figure like Diana, the Roman goddess of the hunt. What do you think that pairing tells us about the culture of the time? Editor: That's interesting, putting the goddess in that chaotic ornamentation. It seems like they’re trying to reconcile classical ideals with this new taste for the bizarre. Showing Diana not just as divine, but part of fashionable taste. Curator: Exactly. And this tension, this dance between order and chaos, reveals much about the cultural anxieties and aspirations of the Baroque period. It also reveals a move towards using classical figures for more domestic spaces. Editor: So, the “grotesque” style wasn’t just decorative; it was a way of negotiating larger cultural shifts? Curator: Absolutely! It reminds us that even seemingly frivolous designs are embedded in complex socio-political currents. It allows a look at domestic social trends and the democratization of powerful imagery. Editor: Wow, I never would have thought about that just by looking at the image. Curator: These historical clues help uncover that story. A sketch might give a broader and perhaps unplanned insight to the culture around its making.