Titelprent met cartouche met kwabornament 1636 - 1661

This title page with 'kwabornament', or ear-shell ornament, was engraved by Israel Silvestre. The cartouche, with its fluid, organic forms, is more than mere decoration. It belongs to a tradition that stretches back to antiquity, when frames and borders were imbued with protective and symbolic power. Consider how similar motifs appear in Roman sarcophagi, where swirling patterns and grotesque masks were intended to ward off evil spirits and safeguard the deceased on their journey. This instinct to protect and adorn finds its way into the subconscious, reappearing in the work of artists across centuries. The kwabornament, with its fleshy, ambiguous forms, evokes a sense of primal energy. It's no accident that these motifs tend to appear during periods of upheaval or transition, when cultural certainties are questioned. Perhaps the subconscious mind seeks to contain the chaos by framing it, giving it form, thereby exercising a sense of control over the unknown. As a result, the kwabornament is resurrected, again and again, each time remolded by the anxieties and aspirations of the age.