"Epigraph"

"a quotation set at the beginning of a literary work or one of its divisions to suggest its theme"

...but does this still count as one? lol
this is a pastiche of older paleo art tropes and trends with its anatomical inaccuracies and fixation on prehistoric animals in violent situations. still, i think some vintage paleo art tends to have an aura of genuine curiosity and awe from the artists.