Twee vrouwen aan de voet van een gevleugelde vrouwelijke herme 1528 - 1583

This engraving by Etienne Delaune presents a meticulously designed composition rendered with fine lines. Set within an oval, the symmetrical arrangement draws the eye to a central winged figure. The two women seated at its base mirror each other, creating a visual balance. The artist uses line and form to construct a complex interplay of naturalistic and stylized elements. Foliage and organic motifs contrast with the rigid geometry of the architectural details, producing a tension between the organic and the constructed. This tension reflects the broader cultural debates of the 16th century, where the Renaissance ideal of humanism was being challenged by emerging scientific perspectives. Consider how the mirrored symmetry and ornate details function not merely as aesthetic choices, but as visual signifiers that engage with contemporary philosophical inquiries into the nature of order, balance, and representation. Art is never fixed, but forever evolving.