Portret van Pierre Francheville (Francavilla) 1590 - 1591

Editor: Hendrick Goltzius’s drawing, “Portret van Pierre Francheville,” created around 1590 using pen on paper. There's a certain seriousness to this portrait, almost…a quiet intensity in the man's gaze. How do you interpret this work? Curator: Ah, yes, intensity! I feel it too, staring back at Francavilla's own intense gaze… Almost unsettling, no? The meticulous detail of Goltzius’s line work certainly draws us in. It’s interesting to consider the time: the late 16th century. Mannerism loved that drama. Do you see how the slight asymmetry of the face almost heightens the realism, preventing it from becoming an idealized, emotionless representation? Editor: I see what you mean. The realism is definitely heightened, but there's something… theatrical about it too. All those decorative elements. Curator: Exactly! It’s a dance, isn’t it? Between capturing an individual and placing him within a certain social sphere. Francavilla was a sculptor himself, so this portrait would have been about presenting his artistic persona too. Perhaps we can appreciate it almost as if we were sitting with him, watching him do a sketch, even. What if he was drawing us right back, after all these centuries? Editor: It really changes my perspective seeing it as capturing a fellow artist… Thank you! Curator: Indeed! To appreciate Goltzius’ portrait, one can look closely at the rendering and allow ourselves to become drawn in with that piercing gaze! It makes us consider the artist's intention, which I think makes the work more intimate.