Pluto riding a chariot descending into Hell, from the 'Division of the Universe' 1531 - 1576

Curator: This print, currently residing at the Met, depicts Pluto riding a chariot descending into Hell. It’s titled "Division of the Universe," and was produced by Giulio Bonasone sometime between 1531 and 1576. Editor: What strikes me immediately is the energy in the engraving. The sharp, repetitive lines practically vibrate with a dark and nervous intensity. Curator: That frenetic energy absolutely suits the subject matter. This image would have resonated deeply within the Renaissance imagination, tapping into anxieties about the underworld. The serpent-haired figures and monstrous guardians certainly invoke a sense of primordial fear. Editor: Absolutely, but let’s consider the materiality for a moment. As an engraving, this image relied on skilled metalworkers and readily available materials: copper plates, inks, and printing presses. The image, initially exclusive, gained wider circulation. It shaped perceptions, not just of myth, but of knowledge. Curator: Good point. The reproducible nature allowed a consistent visual language of Hell to be circulated widely. Think of how the recurring symbols – the chariot, the three-headed dog Cerberus, even Pluto himself – construct a very specific cultural memory of the underworld. Each of these holds layers of meaning carried over from classical texts and reinterpreted for a new audience. Editor: Right, but that dissemination also meant choices made about the copper plate, the labor involved in its etching, even the distribution networks were shaping these "classic" myths, giving them new material weight and context. What materials, labor, and marketplace access helped define that cultural memory? Curator: I think the strength here lies in Bonasone’s understanding of archetypal imagery. He’s drawing on a well of shared cultural anxieties and beliefs about mortality and divine judgment. This image served as a potent reminder of those enduring themes. Editor: For sure, the symbolic force is undeniable. Seeing that vision grounded in the material conditions of its making, though, adds depth for me, as a constant reminder of human labor, choices, and context within such an image. Curator: It adds such interesting nuances. A potent reminder that every symbol is rooted in the material world. Editor: Yes, a tangible expression, as is the story it shares with us today.