Herm met kindergezicht c. 1660

Editor: Here we have François Bourlier’s engraving, "Herm met kindergezicht," created around 1660. The subject matter is a sculpture of a baby, and what strikes me immediately is the almost comical disproportion of the child's features and its robust, chubby cheeks. I wonder, what elements of form do you find most compelling in this work? Curator: Well, focusing purely on the visual language, consider the relationship between the delicate, precise lines used to render the baby's hair and the broader, almost crude, hatching that defines the background. Notice how this contrast in textures flattens the space, pushing the herm forward, making its materiality, its sculptural presence, undeniably assertive. Editor: That’s fascinating. The flatness you mentioned does create a certain tension. What is the impact of its form resting atop a pedestal, then? Curator: The pedestal further emphasizes the herm as a constructed object, a symbol. Consider how the artist manipulates light and shadow - predominantly through linear techniques – to grant the bust weight, solidity. Are we invited to meditate on this artificial object through this exercise of chiaroscuro? Editor: Yes, I agree. I hadn't considered the interplay of light and shadow and how they emphasize form over representation. This makes me wonder what that intention would say. Curator: Indeed. It is not merely a reproduction of a child’s head; it is an examination of artistic and sculptural construction. Now, does analysing it this way, by strictly looking at it formally, yield new meanings or insights? Editor: Absolutely, examining it formally reveals so much about technique and materiality beyond subject matter. It brings it to life. Thanks! Curator: And thank you. Deconstructing it through pure form sharpens our vision and challenges pre-conceived notions about subject, doesn’t it?