Strapwork and Foliage Ornament on Dark Ground with Monkeys and other Animals 

Editor: Here we have "Strapwork and Foliage Ornament on Dark Ground with Monkeys and other Animals," an engraving by Virgil Solis. It's just teeming with life – real and imagined! I find the density of the image really striking. What’s your take on this piece? Curator: This piece is fantastic because it reflects a Northern Renaissance fascination with classical forms, re-imagined through a distinctly Protestant lens. Notice how the strapwork – those interwoven bands – create a sense of contained chaos. Editor: Contained chaos...I like that! Curator: Think about what "order" meant in 16th century Europe. The Reformation was challenging the established order, not just religiously, but also politically and socially. This print, with its controlled yet teeming bestiary, is symbolic. It imposes order but also reveals all this latent anxiety and upheaval beneath the surface. How are the animals portrayed here? Are they docile, naturalistic, or exaggerated and restless? Editor: Restless, definitely restless! They’re all reaching, climbing, roaring, not really at peace with one another at all. Curator: Exactly. Solis is working within the tradition of ornament prints, intended as models for artisans. Yet, even within this 'decorative' framework, we can glimpse those tensions, hinting at a society grappling with massive change. The very act of framing – creating a boundary – becomes a political act. What are your thoughts about the sun at the top, and how might that contribute? Editor: Well, the sun, to me, speaks of enlightenment… almost mockingly, like something that wants to promise illumination but is trapped. Curator: Precisely! A promise of progress and reason tempered by reality. Editor: I never thought I could find such rich social commentary in something so decorative! Curator: It reminds us that even ornament can carry significant meaning if we contextualize its role and what's omitted as well as what is shown.