Plate 1: a man sings and plays the hurdy gurdy, accompanied by a boy playing the triangle to right, a group of peasants dancing in a ring to left in background, title page for 'Diversi capricci' 1644 - 1647

Editor: This engraving, titled *Plate 1: a man sings and plays the hurdy gurdy... title page for 'Diversi capricci'* by Stefano della Bella, was created between 1644 and 1647. The seemingly simple depiction of musicians and dancing peasants somehow feels quite profound. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a world brimming with cultural memory encoded in the dance and the instruments. Notice the hurdy-gurdy player – an itinerant musician. His presence immediately calls to mind archetypes of the wandering minstrel, the oral storyteller. How does the visual symbol of the hurdy-gurdy resonate across different periods, Editor? Editor: I guess I hadn't considered it that way. The hurdy-gurdy seems sort of…ordinary here? Curator: Perhaps on the surface. But think of the instrument itself – it imitates the sounds of many instruments at once. Does this composite quality evoke any deeper meanings to you regarding social harmony or the confluence of different voices? The artist isn't merely showing us a scene, but offering commentary. Look too at the circle dance. What feelings does it evoke? Editor: The dance suggests community, celebration, a kind of shared experience. Curator: Exactly. But there is perhaps a wistful melancholy also. Are they remembering a way of life perhaps fading even then? Stefano della Bella has created, in a "capriccio," more than just a whim. He is also exploring folk traditions on the verge of historical transformation. Do you feel you see the image differently now? Editor: Yes, absolutely! I now realize how deeply embedded this seemingly simple artwork is with history, memory and broader social meanings.