Cartouches c. 17th century

Editor: This is François Collignon's "Cartouches," an engraving on paper. It has an ornate, almost theatrical feel to it. What do you see in this piece, beyond the surface decoration? Curator: Beyond the decorative frame, I see a commentary on power and its symbols. Cartouches were often used to display coats of arms or royal emblems. How might the inclusion of a ram's skull, a symbol often associated with sacrifice, challenge or subvert that power? Editor: That's a fascinating point! I hadn't considered the ram's skull as a form of rebellion. Curator: Consider also the context of the work's creation. What social or political tensions might Collignon have been responding to? These symbols can offer subversive counternarratives to established power structures. Editor: I guess I saw it as just a pretty design, but I see now it goes much deeper!