Oktober 1633 - 1643

Curator: Woah. What an odd little creature. Almost makes me laugh, a bit grotesque and funny at the same time. Editor: Yes, it's certainly unique. We're looking at "Oktober," a drawing created between 1633 and 1643 by Denis Boutemie. The piece appears to be rendered in ink and engraving techniques. Curator: Oktober, eh? It *looks* like an October fever dream. The body is so round and almost porcine, with that winged head and the sharp talons. What’s that he's carrying—grapes? Very Bacchic. Editor: It does strike a chord with those Mannerist aesthetics, that penchant for exaggeration and the grotesque. One thing I find interesting is the contrast between the creature's brutish form and what appears to be a rather delicate bunch of grapes he's carrying. Perhaps an allegory of indulgence. I wonder about its original social context; who was this imagery intended for, and what anxieties or fascinations did it tap into? Curator: Maybe he just *really* likes grapes! But you're right; there’s definitely something more at play. Is it meant to be a comment on gluttony? On the transient nature of earthly pleasures? The feathers coming out of his head give the entire thing this strange feeling of flying—like desire can be carried upward, or maybe fall like Icarus, toward disappointment. I do wonder if this drawing might be about power dynamics? It would have made a fun political statement! Editor: Indeed. The figuration, the exaggerated features... it could certainly lend itself to satire. Consider the broader context. Seventeenth-century Europe was no stranger to politically charged imagery and moralizing narratives. Artists were often employed to create work with pointed messages for those who commissioned their work. Whether for didactic or propagandistic reasons or to act as an indication of their political alliances through aesthetic tastes. Curator: It feels so private, this drawing. The level of detail hints at that kind of attention, though who knows for sure the intention! The engraving almost lends it an aura—that delicate, deliberate touch—transforming this peculiar chimera into something precious. A little secret slipped onto paper. Editor: I appreciate your emotional take, it makes a drawing from almost four centuries ago relatable again, and as viewers, it is up to each one of us to determine what we find in the work. I think that, is a powerful act that makes the viewer relevant. Curator: Exactly. So what did you find on your turn around?