Titelblad til Elefant-Ridderordenens Statutter 1693

Curator: Ah, look at this, the "Titelblad til Elefant-Ridderordenens Statutter" created in 1693 by Hubert Schaten. What strikes you first about it? Editor: Honestly? The sheer, overwhelming grandeur. It's so... declarative. Like a royal pronouncement etched in ink. Gives off serious "Game of Thrones" vibes, even if that reference is centuries off! Curator: It’s Baroque, through and through! A study in line and form. See how Schaten uses engraving to build up depth and texture, the clear linework. It’s a print, remember, so that detail is meticulously crafted. And yes, it shouts of power—intended to visually legitimize and ennoble. Editor: Those cherubs floating above…are they blessing the whole spectacle? There's almost too much going on—crowns, drapery, and two chaps at the side straining as though holding back curtains...or secrets? Curator: You’re drawn to the symbolic layer. Those figures *are* key, framing a central shield topped by another crown, underneath an overhanging 'tent' effect that in itself has yet *another* crown! Note the motto overhead too, ‘Pietate et Justitia.’ Editor: ‘Piety and Justice,’ naturally! Still, despite all the symbolism, it also feels, I don't know...rigid. The precision, the symmetry...did it all really translate into inspiring authority, or perhaps inspire an eye-roll or two? Curator: A fair point! Yet it exemplifies a prevailing ideal—visual order equated with social order. The Danish court sought to project strength and stability and using an engraving also made it replicable across various platforms.. I imagine something like this affirmed existing hierarchies and appealed to the right people in ways that are less transparent to our eye. Editor: Maybe! Well, I for one find myself far more amused by that almost cartoonish sunburst—beams of light are never going out of fashion, that is certain! Overall, whether it hits you as majestic or somewhat excessive, there's no denying its graphic punch, for all that elaborate detail. Curator: Indeed, from a technical standpoint it’s incredibly well-executed, a really skillful engraving to give that sense of solidity in print. Thinking of its history within the court context adds another layer for appreciating what it originally symbolized for folks too.