Amnon and Jonadab, from "The Story of Amnon and Tamar" 1540

Editor: So, this engraving is titled "Amnon and Jonadab, from 'The Story of Amnon and Tamar'" by Heinrich Aldegrever, created around 1540. It has this very formal, almost theatrical feel. What jumps out to you? Curator: Immediately, the inscription, "And feign thyself sick," pulls my attention. It’s a clue, a label for the entire scene that dictates how we're meant to perceive the body language and setting. How does that phrase, combined with their gestures, land with you? Editor: It makes me uneasy, like there’s some kind of manipulation happening. The guy pointing seems like he’s prompting the seated man, Amnon, to do something deceptive. Curator: Precisely. Consider the period—the Northern Renaissance. Images often carried dense layers of moral meaning and referenced established narratives. Do you recognise the Old Testament story here? It's about deception leading to tragic consequences, isn't it? Editor: Vaguely! Isn’t it about Amnon pretending to be sick so that he can be alone with his half-sister, Tamar? Curator: Exactly. Now consider the sword at the foot of the seated figure. Not an object of immediate action but the signifier of latent and inevitable action as he is being encouraged to betray the social codes represented here, to take up, or to wield his patriarchal right through action to be enacted as soon as possible. Editor: I never would have caught all that on my own. Looking closely, it's clear there's a huge amount of symbolism packed into a small image! Curator: Symbols unlock so much in understanding these historical prints. Images were not always what they seemed; reading beyond the surface opens whole worlds. Editor: Absolutely. This print definitely sparked an interest in tracing the influence of historical and Biblical narratives in art.