Saturnus met houten been en baby in zijn armen 1536 - 1569

Editor: This print, "Saturnus met houten been en baby in zijn armen," by Georges Reverdy, made between 1536 and 1569. It's an engraving. Honestly, the scene strikes me as quite disturbing; a kind of gothic horror, like a bizarre morality tale! What's your interpretation? Curator: Gothic horror! I love that, you've nailed a visceral response, the horror, the emotional punch that cuts across the centuries. Reverdy gives us the god Saturn, but far from some Olympian ideal, doesn’t he? Look closer at the figure, almost fragile and pitiable. The wooden leg—a symbol of decay? The child—vulnerable in his arms, knowing the future? This print feels like a meditation on mortality itself. Does that shift your initial horror, slightly, perhaps towards a sense of pathos? Editor: I see what you mean. The vulnerability is there, especially contrasted with the myth of Saturn devouring his children. But does that really soften the impact of the…leg? Curator: Ah, the leg! Always back to the earthy realities. I believe its purpose is to disrupt. This isn't supposed to be a straightforward retelling of myth; it’s Reverdy wrestling with timeless anxieties. He wants to leave us slightly unsettled, a bit raw. Editor: So, the "horror" is deliberate! Curator: Absolutely. It’s a mirror, reflecting our deepest fears back at us, mediated through the distorted lens of myth. He might even be jester-like to reveal these darker aspects. It is beautiful but terrifying. Editor: Well, I certainly learned to appreciate a new depth! Curator: And I rediscovered my inner child-eating god... artistically, of course. Thank you.