Portret van de Spaanse kardinaal Francisco Gómez de Sandoval 1636 - 1679

Curator: We are looking at a portrait print dating back to the 17th century, held in the Rijksmuseum's collection. The artwork depicts Francisco Gómez de Sandoval, a Spanish cardinal, rendered through engraving. Editor: My initial reaction is that it feels… austere, even a bit unforgiving. The sharp lines of the engraving capture every wrinkle and stern detail. But there is an incredible detail to the costume too. Curator: Indeed. The creation of prints, like this portrait, required specialized skills and tools, involving artisans, workshops, and the complex economies of art production in 17th-century Europe. The lines may be academic and disciplined, but were created from an actual copper or wood block, from an artisan. Think about their own lives, separate to that of the elite figure portrayed. Editor: I'm caught by the textures and the lines on his face; you can almost feel the weight of his responsibilities. But those textures too remind of me a similar approach to carving stone, or working with metal. The act of creating the lines and textures reminds of those ancient arts and crafts. There is a kind of magic there. Curator: These prints circulated widely, shaping perceptions of individuals and power structures. It's fascinating how a medium considered "lesser" than painting served to disseminate images of influential figures, reinforcing social hierarchies through reproduction and access. This portrait offers a tangible connection to the past and speaks volumes about artistic production during that period. Editor: The way light is used to give volume to the image, is very clever considering there's only line. I find myself wondering about the engraver’s interpretation – were they aiming for objectivity, or did their own biases influence the depiction? Curator: Perhaps a little of both? The hand of the artist, no matter how technically skilled, always leaves a trace. Ultimately this is a window into an artisan's world just as much as it is into a Cardinal's. Editor: Right. A little story about both of them in simple lines.