Zittend naakt uit de Sixtijnse kapel. 1551

Editor: So, this engraving is "Zittend naakt uit de Sixtijnse kapel" from 1551 by Dirck Volckertsz Coornhert, housed right here at the Rijksmuseum. There’s something very striking about how… deliberate the figure looks, yet also quite vulnerable, considering the nudity and that he is sitting. What strikes you about it? Curator: The act of reproduction itself, especially during the 16th century, holds significant cultural weight. Here, Coornhert isn’t just copying Michelangelo; he's actively participating in disseminating and interpreting Renaissance ideals for a wider audience. How do you think this print might have shaped the perception of the Sistine Chapel nudes for those who couldn’t travel to Rome? Editor: That's an interesting point – a print allows a work seen by few to then be seen by the masses, and reshaped or reframed in the process! Curator: Exactly. The print becomes an object of exchange. Note that this engraving allows for detailed study in a way a fresco high on a chapel ceiling wouldn't allow. How does that change our relationship with the art itself? Does it demystify it? Or does it elevate its status through broader recognition? Editor: I suppose it both demystifies and elevates the status, as you say, which are conflicting things! It’s so detailed… someone could sit with this engraving and dissect Michelangelo's understanding of anatomy, far away from the Vatican. Thank you; I have learnt something new today! Curator: The engraving allows new levels of access, which in turn changes how art and the institutions can operate. It raises many important issues about art, authority, and public engagement even today.