Vignet med kvinde, siddende ung mand og enhjøring 1765 - 1833

Gerhard Ludvig Lahde created this vignette with a woman, a seated young man, and a unicorn using an etching technique. Notice how Lahde's composition creates a tableau of stark contrasts through the sharp lines, juxtaposing mythical and mundane elements. The texture is defined by the etcher's marks, which give a tactile quality despite the image's small scale. A blindfolded woman is holding a knife to the head of the young man who is sitting on a cube with a triangle. Here, the artist seems to be exploring themes of justice and sacrifice, playing with semiotic systems of signs and symbols. The unicorn is a representation of purity, juxtaposed with the mundane figures of the man, dog and griffin. This challenges fixed meanings, inviting viewers to question the relationship between the ideal and the real. The formal tension between line and form serves not just an aesthetic purpose but also as a vehicle for philosophical discourse. This artwork remains open to ongoing interpretation, reflecting the ever-evolving relationship between art and its viewers.