Portret van schilder en architect Giuseppe Maria Sòli 1810 - 1900

Editor: So, here we have "Portret van schilder en architect Giuseppe Maria Sòli," a print made sometime between 1810 and 1900. It's currently held at the Rijksmuseum. The neat and tidy lines of this portrait somehow remind me of an architectural drawing. It's quite formal, even severe. What's your take? What stands out to you in this print? Curator: It’s funny you say “severe.” That Neoclassical style, all sharp angles and serious faces, it’s like they're building monuments to themselves! The artist clearly aimed for capturing the intellect and civic virtue that was prized at the time, almost a… plaster-cast version of a man, right? But, ah, there’s also that delightfully fluffy jabot at his neck and that star-shaped medal... a little crack in the facade. Do you think that hints at something else? A hint of vulnerability maybe? Or simply the need for decoration in even the most austere souls? Editor: Perhaps! I see what you mean about the decoration offering an opposing viewpoint, a need for self expression. Curator: Exactly! What stories do you think someone might tell of the person in the print? Editor: Well, seeing as he was both a painter and an architect, I think his story could go either way – someone who dreams big and fails to realize any of his potential or someone who sees projects through from conception to physical completion! Curator: It’s fascinating how much our minds conjure from a simple image! It’s like we are finishing an unfinished symphony – trying to determine if that symphony would be full of life and vigor, or somber movements and melodies. Editor: I never thought about prints offering so much story to analyze! Thanks for showing me new perspectives.