Portret van een man, in profiel 1778

Editor: This is "Portret van een man, in profiel", or "Portrait of a Man, in Profile," a pencil drawing by Jan Punt from 1778. It strikes me as very…restrained, almost tentative. There are two versions of the man; one very light, one slightly darker. What do you make of it? Curator: Tentative is a great word for it! It reminds me of a memory, seen through a veil. Or maybe, hear me out, a man quite literally seeing himself – one version of how he wishes to be seen, sharply defined; the other, a ghost of his former self fading into memory. Do you think the Neoclassical style lends itself to such stoicism, stripping away all but the purest line? Editor: I suppose it could. That doubling effect... is that common for portraits of this time? It’s as if he’s examining himself. Curator: That's what I find so curious! Portraits were traditionally about power, status, unwavering confidence. This has such an introspective quality, wouldn't you agree? Almost daring to suggest the subject – the artist himself – is a work in progress. Editor: A work in progress… that’s beautiful. It also speaks to the time, doesn’t it? Before photography, this would be the closest someone could get to seeing themselves objectively. It's a strangely modern idea! Curator: Exactly! I think this work, on the cusp of eras, perfectly captures that feeling of existing in multiple versions, both solid and ephemeral. It makes you wonder, doesn’t it, which self will ultimately endure? Editor: It certainly does. Thank you – I see it in a completely different light now. I hadn’t really noticed before, how intimate such a formal portrait can be.