The Temptation of Christ, with Bird, Bat, and Monkey 1582 - 1586

Editor: This is Adriaen Collaert's engraving, "The Temptation of Christ, with Bird, Bat, and Monkey." It's teeming with life, but there's something unsettling about it. How do you interpret this work? Curator: For me, it's a glimpse into the artist's mind. It’s a landscape of temptation, not just for Christ, but for us all. It’s like the subconscious made visible – a wild, overgrown garden of desires and fears, symbolized by those creatures. Editor: So, the animals are more than just decoration? Curator: Absolutely! The bird, the bat, the monkey – they’re all aspects of human nature. It reminds us that temptation isn’t some external force, but something that springs from within. It makes you wonder, doesn't it? What's your personal monkey? Editor: I never thought of it that way before. It’s a lot to consider. Curator: Exactly! Art, for me, should provoke that kind of thought, don’t you agree?