Kwatrijnen bij de portretten van de courtisanes genaamd Mistress Mary C.P. en Lady of Oxm. 1635

This print, made by Crispijn van de Passe the Younger, presents a series of poems alongside the names of two courtesans. The arrangement and design of the text blocks are visually striking. The layout divides the space, creating a balanced, yet complex composition. Each quartet is framed by decorative lettering, inviting the reader to engage with the text as a visual and literary object. This interplay between word and image reflects the period's broader interest in the expressive potential of language. The structure suggests a semiotic system. The text and its arrangement are not merely descriptive but function as signs. These signs invite the viewer to decode layers of meaning related to desire, morality, and social status. The print challenges fixed meanings, offering a space for the re-interpretation of social categories and individual worth. The poems' forms destabilize any straightforward reading of condemnation or celebration. The design encourages reflection on the nuanced relationship between aesthetics, ethics, and social commentary.