Reproductie van een schilderij van een portret van Jean Baptiste Poquelin Molière door Mignard before 1880

Curator: Here we have before 1880 reproduction from a portrait of Jean Baptiste Poquelin Molière by Mignard, an engraving now held at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: Well, hello there, solemnity! He looks like he's about to deliver the weightiest line in theatrical history. Is that a laurel wreath or is he off to a toga party? Curator: Indeed. The Neoclassical style emphasizes a return to the perceived purity of the arts of Rome and Ancient Greece. You see it here in the portrait's structured composition and the subject's garb. It's designed to evoke notions of virtue, heroism, and perhaps in Moliere's case, literary genius. Note also the use of line in the engraving, defining form with precision. Editor: Literary genius, yes, but there's a glimmer of something mischievous in those eyes. Like he knows the funniest joke ever written, and he can't wait to unleash it on the world. It almost feels like there are layers behind the heroic, artistic veil. And the stick; does it refer to anything specific, some work of his? Curator: The baton is simply symbolic. The goal is conveying gravitas and artistic authority rather than detailing specific attributes tied to his plays or characters. I see what you mean regarding his gaze. There is a certain implied knowingness in his eyes. Editor: The beauty of prints lies in their accessibility; copies like these distributed his image, transforming him into a cultural icon across geographical distances and chronological divides. And this man needs little by way of advertisement, his legacy in letters being quite impressive. Curator: An excellent point. It brings art and cultural figures into more homes than a single painted portrait ever could. Well, it’s certainly made me ponder on the essence of comedic genius behind the mask of high art. Editor: Precisely, a fine ending note on our side to entice those that have joined us to ponder similar considerations as they depart this exhibition.