The Character with Masks and a Heart at the Feet of the Giant of the Antwerp Entry of Archduke Ernst of Austria (1594): The Origin and Meaning

The article examines the origin and meaning of the female character with masks and a heart employed in the decoration of the Ceremonial Entry of Archduke Ernst of Austria in Antwerp in 1594. The appearance of this character in the artistic program of the Entry raises the problem of the use of masks in the Dutch spectacular culture of the 16th century. The main sources for this article are paintings, engravings, and drawings by Flemish and Dutch artists of the second half of the 16th — early 17th centuries which depict theatrical, mythological and allegorical scenes that include images of various masks. The main methodological technique is a theatrical analysis of works of fine art. The author of the article emphasizes that many of the Dutch artists were members not only of the professional guild of St. Luke, but also of the chambers of rhetoric, where they were engaged in poetry, participated in organizing city festivals, and performed in theatrical productions. The involvement of the artists in theatrical practice was, to one degree or another, reflected in the interpretation of themes, plots and individual details of the works they created. The female character with masks and a heart at the feet of the giant of the Antwerp Entry of 1594 is an example of combining the tradition of depicting allegories in the painting of the era, the artistic program of the Entry, and the independent interpretation of the images of allegorical characters by the artists who participated in the design of the Ceremonial Entry of Archduke Ernst of Austria.