Designs for Metalwork: Three Stacked Dishes above Two Footed Cups c. 16th century

Curator: Check out this intricate plate by René Boyvin, called Designs for Metalwork: Three Stacked Dishes above Two Footed Cups. Editor: Oh, wow, it’s giving me baroque anxiety. So much detail crammed into those tiny dishes! Curator: Boyvin really leans into ornamentation here. The dishes are adorned with figures, foliage, and these almost grotesque masks. Editor: The masks are definitely doing something! There's a tension between beauty and, well, what's the opposite of beauty? It's like a feast for both the eyes and the subconscious. Curator: It's like Boyvin is showcasing the skill a metalworker would need to create such elaborate pieces, playing with dimension through engraving. Editor: Exactly! Makes me wonder about the feasts they were meant to hold. Now, I'm hungry, and contemplating the grotesque! Curator: A fitting end, I'd say. Let's go grab a snack.