Christen Thomesen Sehested 1650 - 1655

Editor: This is a rather formal portrait of Christen Thomesen Sehested, dating from between 1650 and 1655. It's an engraving, a print, by Albert Haelwegh. The stern expression gives me the impression that this was a man who expected to be listened to! What do you make of it? Curator: I get that, absolutely. There's a gravity to his presence, isn't there? But for me, what resonates is the duality inherent in the Baroque period. See the inscription *Non consummor nisi consumor*? "I am not consumed unless I consume." It’s more than just his personal motto; it is the essence of the time – a dance between opulence and decay, the earthly and the spiritual, consuming and being consumed. It's a beautiful tension! Does that resonate with you? Editor: It's interesting! So he's both a figure of authority, literally encircled by words, but also part of a larger cosmic give-and-take? That does add another layer to his expression. Curator: Exactly! And notice how the formal structure – the oval frame, the carefully rendered textures – works in counterpoint with the ephemerality of printmaking. Each impression becomes a transient echo of power and wisdom. It almost whispers a melancholic thought – how are we going to be remembered? Editor: So it's less about unyielding power, and more about... acknowledging the cycle? Curator: Precisely! Art, especially portraiture, becomes a little defiant reminder to the unstoppable stream of time, asking us if not to stop then at least to notice a brief but memorable now. Editor: I initially saw a powerful man. Now I see how that portrait itself grapples with power and legacy. I like the re-framing! Curator: See? That's how art endures! Shifting its perspective so subtly through the years!