Phineus verstoort de bruiloft van Perseus en Andromeda 1628 - 1682

Curator: Looking at this intricate engraving, what's the first thing that comes to mind? Editor: Absolute chaos! I mean, it's visually arresting, this frenetic energy swirling across the scene. There are figures collapsed, others clashing – it's like a Renaissance mosh pit. Curator: Indeed. This is "Phineus Disrupting the Wedding of Perseus and Andromeda," an engraving from the late 17th century after Jean Lepautre, now housed at the Rijksmuseum. It’s a rather dynamic take on classical mythology. Editor: "Disrupting" is putting it mildly. He's doing more than just scattering rice and singing off-key, isn’t he? Tell me more about this raucous scene. Curator: The piece depicts a dramatic moment from Ovid’s Metamorphoses. Phineus, once betrothed to Andromeda, interrupts her wedding to Perseus. It embodies the baroque aesthetic, all dramatic gestures and heightened emotion, really reflecting a societal desire to publicly display their wealth, in the sense that mythology was generally used to communicate ideas with the society. Editor: I see that, and that emotion really translates! The rendering is wild, like lightning in monochrome. I’m fascinated by the foreground, the fallen bodies, so much detail in a relatively small print. It reminds me of some of Goya's more tormented visions, that deep psychological torment Curator: Well spotted. The figures and architecture draw the viewer’s eye, from those laid out and likely deceased, all the way back to the figures behind the wedding altar. Note how Lepautre, or his copyist here, utilizes line work to build the emotional tenor. Editor: It's brilliant and kind of unsettling. You know, weddings are already stressful enough, right? Imagine having to fend off a homicidal ex while trying to find the right champagne flute. It really strikes me about the amount of social drama, a wedding after all is very important to societal life and therefore it's so poignant when interrupted by chaos. Curator: True, this print reflects the enduring human fascination with disruption, and a peek behind the curtain. Thanks to this engraving, we continue to be a fly on the wall. Editor: Well, a fly buzzing wildly around a very dramatic wall! It is truly magnificent in its frenzy and emotional impact! I could look at this forever and still find something new.