Hennentaster c. 1560 - 1595

Editor: This is "Hennentaster," an engraving by Julius Goltzius, dating back to somewhere between 1560 and 1595. It's currently housed in the Rijksmuseum. It feels... well, quite odd, really! The figures are strangely proportioned, and there's a very unsettling tension between them. What do you make of this bizarre encounter? Curator: Ah, yes, unsettling indeed! Goltzius captures the kind of awkward comedy only life can throw at you. Mannerism thrived on playful distortion, and here it is! This "hen taster" is quite the character. Notice the way he cradles that bird. Is it tenderness or is he checking its... *ahem*... assets? The raised hand of the woman, that’s something else entirely. A mix of "hold on there!" and maybe...just maybe...a touch of flirtation? Or perhaps disdain? What does her gesture suggest to you? Editor: I’m torn. Disdain, definitely! But is there also a suggestion of reciprocation, or mere surprise? It's difficult to know. The way the light falls is intriguing! Curator: The light, yes! Isn’t it remarkable how those sharp contrasts draw your eye precisely where Goltzius wants? The intimate gesture contrasts wildly with public presentation... He captures a moment suspended, daring us to play detective. You see caricature, certainly, but don’t miss his commentary on courtship! Think of a 16th-century sitcom, a laugh track replaced with a sneer. What kind of story does this spark in your imagination? Editor: I get it. I was just focusing on the "what," rather than the "why." It’s like an inside joke, made public! Curator: Exactly! That’s the beauty of art, isn't it? A moment captured and a narrative opens for all. Every brushstroke tells a tale if we're willing to read between the lines – even in an engraving!