Woe to you, Maggots will be in your bed, and worms your coverlet (Isaiah 14:11) 1565 - 1577

Editor: Here we have an engraving from around 1565-1577, titled "Woe to you, Maggots will be in your bed, and worms your coverlet (Isaiah 14:11)". It's anonymous and currently residing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The intricate details and swirling composition create such a striking image, and almost surreal feel. What stands out to you the most, visually? Curator: The formal construction of this work hinges on binary oppositions. We observe the circular composition divided, a figure stands to the left against verdant ground, in contrast to figures falling and surrounded by monsters to the right against the heavens. This visual disjunction is key. Editor: Disjunction? How so? Curator: Notice the lines; they create a palpable sense of dynamism and tension. The figures are distorted and contorted. This contributes to the overall Mannerist aesthetic. And how the light catches certain figures and is obscured by the stormy, shadowed right side. Editor: So you are focusing on the lines, shape, and tone? I can see that; the tonal contrasts especially draw the eye to different figures. What do you make of the two figures being given precedence within their respective settings? Curator: A critical engagement is necessary. The rendering calls attention to the overall disquietude of the era. These elements of composition—line, shape, light, and tone—serve to reinforce this. Editor: Interesting. It sounds like you're less interested in what it depicts literally, and more about how the visual elements create meaning. I'm starting to appreciate how a focus on form can open up different perspectives. Curator: Precisely. Sometimes, the intrinsic qualities of a work are most revealing.