Seated Boy 1535 - 1592

Editor: We’re looking at "Seated Boy" a drawing from sometime between 1535 and 1592, created by Girolamo Macchietti. It's done in a dry media, that typical reddish chalk of the Renaissance. It's a figure study, and honestly, it feels both classical and incredibly vulnerable. What stands out to you most about this piece? Curator: Vulnerable is such a good word for it! The way Macchietti captures the human form is less about heroic ideals and more about, well, being human. And it's interesting you picked up on the "classical" feel; Renaissance artists were head-over-heels for ancient Greek and Roman art. But look at how the lines aren't perfectly smooth, how the pose is somewhat relaxed and not idealized, this is where the personality of the Renaissance shines. What do you make of that gesture he's making with his hand? Editor: It almost looks like he’s pointing… or maybe trying to reach out to something? It's not quite clear. And it doesn’t have that self-assuredness you sometimes see in Renaissance portraits. Curator: Exactly! It is like we are catching a glimpse of him in thought, in transit. The red chalk—a medium so favoured during this period for its soft, skin-like tone—contributes to the raw feel, right? It invites you in, makes you consider the intimacy of observation, the very act of drawing. Think about the relationship between artist and model, both breathing in the same space. It almost feels as though he isn't posing at all, or, perhaps, as though we the viewers are simply intruding, an accidental passerby in this private moment. Editor: So it’s less about perfection, and more about capturing a moment, a feeling... Curator: Precisely! I suppose he captures humanity in an informal way; like how even the great Renaissance artists found beauty in the everyday, in the quiet moments. Editor: That's beautiful; a new understanding I am taking home. Curator: Same here! I think it’s in these small details that true beauty and, indeed, humanity reveals itself, isn’t it?