Cartouche met twee zeepaarden die elkaar bijten en twee kleine cartouches met zeewezens 1646

Editor: This is “Cartouche met twee zeepaarden die elkaar bijten en twee kleine cartouches met zeewezens” by Stefano della Bella, from 1646. It looks like an ink drawing or print, currently held at the Rijksmuseum. I find the sea creatures playfully aggressive. What do you make of these bizarre yet charming beasts? Curator: The biting sea horses immediately grab attention, don't they? The symbolism is quite loaded. Sea horses, even today, can represent patience, persistence, contentment, and perspective. But why are these biting? Editor: Is it simply a visual tension, Curator? Maybe just an exciting, Baroque flourish? Curator: Perhaps. But let’s consider cartouches: they are frames meant to contain names or symbols of power, announcing identity. And in the 17th century, animals were heavily laden with meaning. Think of heraldry: lions for courage, eagles for vision. Two creatures biting each other introduces conflict. What's being contested? What power dynamic is Della Bella suggesting? What kind of heraldic message might be coded here? Editor: So the image isn't just decorative; it's a visual puzzle prompting questions about power and perhaps inner conflict, rendered through this unique symbolic language? Curator: Precisely. And the "fantasy sketch" aesthetic gives it a unique accessibility, as though we're witnessing the birth of the symbol itself, even inviting us to complete the meaning. It beautifully exemplifies how symbols carry complex cultural memory and psychological depth. Editor: I never considered it that deeply. Now I appreciate how it communicates on so many levels.