Charles de Gonzague, Duc de Nevers, attached letter 1560 - 1620

Curator: So, here we have a drawing by Thomas de Leu, dating roughly between 1560 and 1620. It depicts Charles de Gonzague, Duc de Nevers, and rather intriguingly, includes an attached letter. Editor: My first impression? Faded whispers. A delicate, ephemeral presence. The handwriting itself seems to be ghosting into nothingness, yet the figure it evokes feels weighty with historical significance, wouldn’t you say? Curator: Absolutely. The choice of ink gives the image a certain gravity, a formality appropriate for depicting a Duke, and the Renaissance context is unavoidable; this print engages themes of class, nobility and legacy. Think about who has access to the literal and figurative pen. Editor: I wonder what he would make of our digital gaze centuries later, viewing his likeness not in a grand hall, but on a pocket screen. What parts of himself was he attempting to capture? The subtle arrogance of his set jaw? A calculated move for the painter's own class position? What does he ask me, an artist of this age? Curator: It is striking how such seemingly fragile material, like ink on paper, has allowed us to access someone who lived through considerable social transformation, too; what seems small, archival and faint has monumental echoes for later theorists like Foucault. The materiality feels at odds with the power projected, even. Editor: That contrast between fragility and the enduring claim to power is powerful. What do we do with all of our ephemera, what messages attach, and detach, over time? It also gets me thinking about how portraiture functioned then versus our Instagram feeds now…it's all about crafted self-presentation, of course. Curator: That comparison gives this artwork an incredible through-line! Thank you. Editor: Glad to reflect with you.