Alkoof met Jupiter en Semele c. 1662 - 1670

Curator: Oh, now this is fascinating! A peek into the world of myth and desire… Editor: Yes, this engraving, "Alkoof met Jupiter en Semele" by Jean Lepautre, made around 1662-1670, currently at the Rijksmuseum, struck me immediately with its...intensity. The scene feels almost theatrical. What is your perspective on this baroque piece? Curator: Theatric, absolutely! Lepautre captures that baroque drama, that heady mix of sensuality and mortal danger. It's the story of Semele, a mortal woman, demanding her lover Jupiter reveal his true form. Doomed from the start, of course. Notice how the interior bursts with figures and implied energy and eroticism... How does it make you feel, confronted with that story in that style? Editor: The contrast between the classical subject matter and the almost overly ornate interior is really interesting, It's like...a god in Versailles! Does this elaborate staging amplify Jupiter’s power, or perhaps subtly mock it? Curator: Precisely! That tension between divine power and earthly excess *is* the Baroque. It mirrors the absolute power of the Sun King, Louis XIV, where classical references were all the rage... Lepautre’s playing with that, that blurring between godhood and kingship. Do you notice how Jupiter rushes into the bedchamber on a storm cloud? What are we to make of the cherubs witnessing the event? Editor: The cherubs are unsettling! They turn what could have been a tender image into a morality tale. They hint at both the tragedy of Semele and Jupiter's vanity. Curator: Yes, there are very strong didactic elements. This image does so much, simultaneously dazzling us with spectacle while warning us of its potential dangers! So where are we left, now that we've taken this little trip into Baroque extravagance? Editor: I definitely see a whole new layer of meaning beyond just the surface-level depiction of mythology. It's like the image is a reflection of the anxieties of the time it was created, all dressed up in a classical costume. Curator: Beautifully said. It’s those echoes and resonances across time that keep art history endlessly rewarding.