Titelblad: Tombeaux ou Mozoles 1661

Curator: Oh, this piece has a wonderfully macabre feel to it. Editor: Yes, "Titelblad: Tombeaux ou Mozoles" created in 1661 by Jean Lepautre, and housed here at the Rijksmuseum, presents quite a spectacle. It's an engraving, so think about the labor involved in carefully etching this design into a copper plate and then printing it. Curator: The allegorical figures certainly grab your attention, don't they? The stark image of the Grim Reaper at the bottom is really fascinating. The juxtaposition of death and presumed mourning or respect is, let's say, striking. What about the wreath above the skull – a celebration or satire of remembrance, perhaps? Editor: You know, when I look closer, it's not just the immediate symbolism, it's the entire printmaking industry that Lepautre was participating in. Engravings like this were readily produced to be consumed widely as ornament and reproduced designs to stimulate other makers’ ideas across many different mediums from furniture to buildings. This suggests how styles move through society in ways both visible and imperceptible. Curator: True. And the symbolism in the work definitely resonates with baroque sensibilities and a historical style that recalls classical imagery while simultaneously incorporating a fascination with the fleetingness of life. How does cultural memory play a role here? The figure holding what could be construed to be plans of a tomb indicates the memory they wish to leave. Editor: In its visual vocabulary, Lepautre's piece serves as a record of prevailing attitudes, assumptions, and beliefs. To decipher them is to have direct communication with history and its attitudes. Consider also the consumer viewing it originally in 1661, in contrast to our interpretations centuries later. Curator: Absolutely. The artist isn't simply presenting a singular idea but rather a multitude of possibilities to decipher based on one's perspective and lived reality. Editor: This print is about more than what appears to be obvious on its surface. By tracing its journey of production and viewing this print within its original social contexts, a larger network of cultural significance begins to appear. Curator: Ultimately, considering these diverse layers of interpretation expands our comprehension of art as an enduring conversation that extends beyond the artist.