Rolwerk langs een fries after 1589

This is an anonymous engraving titled 'Rolwerk langs een fries', made sometime in the early modern period. Immediately, one notices the dominant horizontal orientation, filled with dense, symmetrical forms and figures. It feels rich in symbolic details, even though its monochromatic scheme limits a full sensory experience. The frieze presents a complex interplay of human and fantastical forms, with a rhythmic repetition of motifs bounded by structured borders. This rigid organization creates a sense of classical order, yet the inner elements are highly ornamental. It reflects the era’s fascination with both classical ideals and elaborate decoration, evident in architecture and design. The engraving invites us to consider how cultural values are encoded within visual structures, and how artists manipulate these structures to create meaning. Such ornamental works served not only aesthetic purposes but also communicated status and cultural identity through the language of form.