Portrait of Charles III, half length within a roundel 1760 - 1775

Curator: At first glance, all that armor and that almost…bewildered expression feel at odds with one another, don't you think? It's Manuel Salvador Carmona’s portrait of Charles III, dating roughly from 1760 to 1775. Editor: He certainly looks less than thrilled to be encased in metal! The engraving is quite detailed. I can almost hear the faint scratching of the engraver's tool. Considering Carmona was from Spain, I wonder about the circulation of these images and what audiences he might have been intending. Curator: I’m struck by how meticulously Carmona renders the light reflecting off the armor, almost like a photograph but with so much more artistic touch. There's a playfulness with the rigid forms through light that brings warmth, and a softening that keeps the portrayal of royalty personable and less imposing. The Met’s collection places this in the Baroque print collection, interesting considering its period. Editor: Indeed. Its placement reflects a certain academic perspective. You see this push-pull between public image and political messaging that would have been present the moment this was being rendered. The armour serves both as a direct marker of authority, while that gentle look creates an image that appears more benevolent. Curator: Perhaps the blank cartouche below the image speaks volumes about those politics. Room for future words, future proclamations, to further a malleable image to suit a narrative. What's missing is almost as telling as what's there, it leaves such potential open for anyone willing to inscribe it. Editor: It makes the viewer an active participant. Where it hangs in the Met now adds further to that interpretation of how imagery relates to monarchies throughout history, giving the image power beyond just this instance of a man wearing metal clothing. Curator: A dance of intent between artist, subject, and the world. Such a reflective glimpse! Editor: Indeed, history in waiting; poised and potent, centuries later.