Daniel’s vision of four beasts by Salomon Italia

Daniel’s vision of four beasts after 1655

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print, engraving

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baroque

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pen drawing

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print

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pen sketch

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old engraving style

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figuration

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line

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history-painting

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engraving

Dimensions: height 111 mm, width 66 mm

Copyright: Rijks Museum: Open Domain

Curator: This compelling print, made by Salomon Italia after 1655, is entitled "Daniel's Vision of Four Beasts". It’s an engraving, a line print, depicting a scene of biblical history. Editor: It strikes me as quite turbulent, almost nightmarish. The frenzied activity of the creatures contrasts with the central figure, who seems rather unmoved by the chaos. Curator: That contrast is key to understanding the image's function during that period. This print serves as visual propaganda of sorts, created and consumed within specific religious contexts. Italy was an interesting hub for book production, which made such artworks widely accessible at the time. Editor: Interesting! Well, as you point out the bestial imagery certainly dominates, doesn’t it? I am curious about their placement at the bottom and the figure looking upwards, enveloped by celestial light, on top. A winged creature, almost mocking, is rising above a crowd of beasts of different sizes, bearing teeth and horns, seeming to symbolize an internal emotional landscape. Curator: Indeed. The "four beasts" are deeply rooted in Christian symbolism. The scene reflects the visions in the Book of Daniel, powerful material used in prophetic and apocalyptic literature. The arrangement reflects that hierarchy as well, a system that reinforces existing social structures. Editor: Do you mean the religious elite imposing itself in the arts? Curator: In part. But broader systems too. Imagery depicting humans subduing nature became widespread. The interpretation of symbolic animals in art allows us to trace how ideology permeates into culture. This print is both a window into that history and an artifact shaping public understanding. Editor: It gives the beasts and figures a lot more presence knowing that it had a larger impact on the cultural views of the time. The starkness of the engraving style, using just lines, enhances its dreamlike quality. Curator: Absolutely, a complex interplay of cultural meaning and artistry to absorb here. Editor: Indeed, a small print with immense cultural implications.

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