Cartouche met rand van vissen 1664

Curator: Right now we're looking at a 17th-century engraving entitled "Cartouche met rand van vissen," which translates to "Cartouche with a border of fish." It's by Albert Flamen and was made in 1664. Editor: My immediate thought? It's wonderfully grotesque. All those staring, glassy-eyed fish…It feels like an underwater funereal wreath. Dark humor, for sure. Curator: A Baroque piece such as this always holds significant meaning in its imagery. Framing the text with an almost claustrophobic arrangement of fish likely serves more than a purely decorative purpose. Editor: Tell me about the fish themselves. What kinds are they? Why so many? What could they symbolize? Curator: It’s hard to identify them precisely in this old engraving, but we know they represent the diverse species of both saltwater and freshwater habitats, judging by the French text below, inviting a consideration of nature's abundance and diversity. The fish in general are often tied to Christianity – think of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes, or the "Jesus Fish" symbol itself. Also they can relate to fertility. Editor: So, you're saying the fishes carry a double-loaded association? On one hand, the cornucopia aspect of creation... but perhaps, in that profusion, also a bit of moral… sliminess? Curator: Exactly! Think about this "Cartouche" acting as a frame around knowledge, a title page about, probably, other fishes inside… perhaps cautioning the viewer on how to perceive knowledge. Remember, symbols function best when multi-faceted. The viewer has an important role in this exchange, and brings in personal experience. Editor: It also adds this darkly funny undercurrent, like a fish-eyed comment on the printed word itself. It's pretty bold to surround something with such conflicting images. The frame kind of eats the text… Curator: Well, whether it "eats the text" or enriches its value—that's truly up to the observer to interpret. Editor: Still, those eyes, though… they follow you! Alright, point taken, more than decorative! Fishy business going on here, indeed. Curator: Every artifact retains traces of its cultural time, while offering clues about ours. The combination offers possibilities to explore continuities between those pasts and our own present.