Saturnus en de nimf Philyra 1515 - 1598

Editor: So, here we have Pierre Milan's engraving, "Saturnus en de nimf Philyra," dating somewhere between 1515 and 1598. There's something almost unsettling about the composition, the way the figures are arranged feels theatrical. What's your take on it? Curator: Unsettling is a great word. Mannerism does love to play with your expectations, doesn't it? This piece is oozing with symbolism and repressed anxieties. Look at the way Saturn is depicted not in human form, but as a horse, his offspring being the foal. Philyra almost seems to want nothing to do with it. Editor: You are right, it is filled with Symbolism. Where does that infant figure into all of this? Curator: The infant? I'd argue he represents the destructive nature of time, his presence is more than a decorative touch; and he’s holding Saturn’s scythe – the weapon he famously used against his father. Now tell me, does that alter your initial sense of theatricality at all? Editor: It definitely adds another layer of complexity. I was mostly responding to the almost artificial poses of the figures, but knowing about the symbolism shifts the entire feel, right? From spectacle to... something far darker? Curator: Precisely! It is as though they're acting out a rather grotesque myth for our... or perhaps their own… entertainment. And it reminds us that even the gods are at the mercy of time's cruel hand. Editor: Wow, it is quite amazing what is captured here; you know it's funny, before our talk I was focused on how strange I thought the proportions were. Curator: And now? Editor: Now, those "strange proportions" suddenly make perfect sense! There’s an intentionally discomforting mood here! It really makes you appreciate the skill involved in communicating all of that. Thanks!