Medoro en Angelica in een landschap c. 1520 - 1540

This print, "Medoro en Angelica in een landschap," was made by an anonymous artist. At first glance, this looks like a scene of romantic tenderness. But how does the image create meaning? The subject matter is derived from the epic poem "Orlando Furioso," which was written by Ludovico Ariosto in the early 16th century. Set against the backdrop of the wars between Charlemagne and the Moors, the poem focuses on the knight Orlando and his unrequited love for the pagan princess Angelica. But while the poem was initially embraced by aristocratic elites, it soon became embroiled in cultural and political debates about gender roles, religious conflict, and courtly love. In the hands of later artists, the characters of Angelica and Medoro were a vehicle for questioning these social conventions. As historians, it is up to us to examine these earlier interpretations of the source material to fully appreciate how images can be deployed in the service of progressive or conservative social programs.