Apollo en Diana doden de kinderen van Niobe 1580 - 1617

Ludovicus Finsonius created this dynamic, yet disturbing, image of Apollo and Diana slaying the children of Niobe with pen and brown ink. The raw, unrefined quality of the medium lends the artwork an immediate and visceral presence. The deliberate choice of pen and ink, a relatively accessible medium, suggests a democratizing impulse, liberating art from the confines of high art. This choice resonates with wider social issues of labor, politics, and consumption. The lines, rapidly sketched and roughly finished, convey the horror of the massacre. It suggests a rejection of the pristine and polished aesthetic, embracing instead a rawness that aligns with the grim reality of the scene. The amount of work invested in producing this detailed narrative is palpable, a testament to the artist's commitment to conveying emotion and storytelling through the simplest of means. It's clear that materials, making, and context are vital to truly understand this artwork, highlighting how conventional divisions between fine art and craft are not always useful.