Kind tussen getemde leeuw en roofvogel bovenop cartouche met vers 1611 - 1650

Editor: Here we have an engraving from between 1611 and 1650, housed at the Rijksmuseum, titled *Child between Tamed Lion and Bird of Prey Atop Cartouche with Verse*, created by an anonymous artist. It strikes me as quite an unsettling image – a child so vulnerable juxtaposed with those powerful, almost violent creatures. What do you see in this piece? Curator: The immediate contrast you picked up on is definitely key. Think about the historical context of the period. There were so many competing nations, interests, and of course, different views on life that created enormous tensions. That the child sits in front of the verse also indicates it represents more than innocence. This engraving uses the symbolism of the child between the two tamed yet powerful animals to comment on something deeper. How do you think power and innocence operate within that intersection of cultures and societal expectations present during the Baroque? Editor: So the tension between the creatures speaks to the outside conflict, but is there something being said about their subdued state too? If the lion and bird are tamed, what kind of power dynamic is in play there? Curator: Precisely! Who benefits from the taming of the natural world and what price do they, and we, ultimately pay? Considering our understanding of ecological and societal hierarchies, can we even view this child figure as completely innocent or neutral? Perhaps the print offers a critique of the supposed "innocence" often associated with youth, revealing the embedded power structures within even the most seemingly benign images. What new ideas does that bring to mind? Editor: It definitely reframes my initial interpretation. I now see how the image might be saying something about power, even the corruption of innocence. Curator: Right. These allegorical images open up critical avenues for discussing social themes during that time. It serves as a visual manifestation of how we negotiate power, identity, and morality – ideas that still hold incredible relevance today.