Drie maskers met hoorns 1611

Editor: Here we have Pieter Feddes van Harlingen’s "Three Masks with Horns," created in 1611. It appears to be a pen and ink sketch. The expressions are so dramatic! The figure on the right almost looks like he's screaming. What's your take on this image? Curator: This piece is particularly fascinating when considered within the historical context of the early 17th century. Consider the rise of the grotesque in popular imagery, often used in morality plays and civic pageantry. Do you think these masks were designs for costumes? Editor: That’s interesting. I hadn’t considered that. So, these masks could represent vices, or maybe even stock characters in plays? Curator: Precisely. Look at the exaggerated features, the horns... they evoke a sense of the demonic. In a society grappling with religious reform and social upheaval, such images could serve as potent visual reminders of the dangers of straying from virtue. And their presence in a sketchbook speaks to how this imagery was circulating and being reinterpreted by artists of the time. Editor: So, rather than just being doodles, they reflect the societal anxieties of the era. The masks' presence in public performances probably influenced their design. Curator: Exactly. Think about the public role of art. How it was used to shape public opinion, reinforce social norms, even control behavior. Now, look again at the mask on the right... what message do you think *it* was trying to send? Editor: I initially just saw a scream. But knowing they might be characters… it feels more like a warning now. Thanks; I hadn't fully considered the art's historical setting. Curator: And I had overlooked the influence of street performances on the character’s exaggerated expressions.