Portret van Aluigi Gusano 1625 - 1669

Curator: Here we have a piece from the Rijksmuseum's collection, a portrait, titled "Portret van Aluigi Gusano." It was created sometime between 1625 and 1669, attributed to Giovanni Battista Bonacina. It's a rather striking Baroque engraving. Editor: My first thought? Dignified. Regal, even. But with a surprising touch of melancholy around the eyes. Is it just the light and shadow play of the engraving that makes him look that way? Curator: Perhaps. Bonacina uses a very fine line technique to sculpt form, especially in the face. It lends a certain gravity, doesn’t it? Consider the texture— the meticulous hatching gives such depth to the fur collar and that impressive mustache and beard combo. Editor: Definitely, the engraving really emphasizes textures in unexpected ways, the fur jumps out. It’s interesting to consider the setting, too. That faint architectural backdrop— pillar and billowing curtain — adds to the drama. A classic Baroque move! Almost theatrical, wouldn't you say? He looks as though he's about to deliver a very serious line in some play. Curator: It is theatrical, yes. Bonacina was adept at using prints like these to not just depict likeness, but also project status and importance. This man, Aluigi Gusano, clearly held a prominent position in Milanese society. The inscription notes he was "President of the Senate". A print such as this, would have been a form of branding and circulation of identity. Editor: So, a carefully constructed image then. It’s intriguing to see how choices in material and style reinforce not just what we see, but what we’re meant to believe. I'm thinking a bit about semiotics and its encoding with this engraving now. I never expected that with such an antiquated, or rather historic, work! Curator: It's quite thought-provoking how relevant these older images still remain when viewed through that lens! The subtleties in Bonacina's rendering and the deliberate staging reveal so much about the subject, and of the society in which he lived. Editor: Yes, absolutely. It is like Aluigi is somehow frozen for just for our own contemplation, so thanks Giovanni!