Folie de Roland (Roland furieux Franceschi 1584 ch24) - G. Porro

In the lower part of this engraving, Girolamo Porro reverses the bottom of the woodcut from the Valgrisi edition (1562). He accentuates the symmetry between the thatched cottage where Roland plunders food, on the left, and Isabella's mausoleum, on the right. These two buildings enclose what, in the foreground, tends to become a scene. In the middle, one of the fleeing peasants turns to look at Roland, while his companion looks at us. The relay is thus established between our gaze as outside readers and the scene itself.    

In the upper part of the engraving, the representation has been simplified and clarified compared to the Valgrisi edition. Bands can be clearly separated: moving from the lowest to the highest band, one progresses steadily through the text of Canto XXIV, which is characteristic of narrative compositions.    

The first band is dedicated to the forgiveness of traitors: Zerbin, accompanied by Isabelle, receives Gabrine in the center, and Odoric on the left. Their shameful end, both hanged, is not depicted, unlike the Valgrisi and Nucio editions.

The second strip is devoted to Roland's weapons: on the left, Zerbin and Isabelle collect them to form the trophy; on the right, Mandricard seizes Durandal. Here, unlike in the Valgrisi edition, the trophy plays no structuring role in the performance space.    

The third band is dedicated to Zerbin's end: on the right, he fights Mandricard in front of Isabelle and Doralice (Doralice's interposition is not shown); on the left, a hermit consoles Isabelle for Zerbin's death near a fountain. In the center, the presence of Fleur-de-lys is shifted: it is at the moment when Roland's arms are being collected that she makes, in the text, a brief appearance.