Grotesken met figuur op rug van een hippocampus 1700 - 1725

Johann Adam Delsenbach created this print, "Grotesken met figuur op rug van een hippocampus," which translates to "Grotesques with a figure on the back of a hippocampus", sometime in the 18th century. At the time, Europe’s royal courts were embracing the playful and elaborate style of the Rococo. The print presents three panels teeming with mythical creatures, cherubic figures, and ornate decorations. It gives us insight into the visual culture of the period, reflecting the era's fascination with the grotesque and the fantastical. Designs like these served as inspiration for artisans decorating aristocratic homes and gardens. Look closely, and you'll see how Delsenbach merges elegance with whimsy, creating a world of playful androgyny. The figures strike poses that seem to exist in a world of pure imagination, inviting you to suspend reality. It encourages a sense of wonder and escape, as if peering through a keyhole into a secret garden of the mind.