An Amsterdam Burgomaster (?) 1667

Editor: So here we have what’s believed to be an Amsterdam Burgomaster, rendered in marble in 1667, by Bartholomeus Eggers. It's this surprisingly intimate, almost photographic relief… How should we approach it? What jumps out at you? Curator: Ah, yes! I'm struck by how Eggers, working in the Baroque period, infuses realism with this almost ethereal quality. Do you see the slight softening of features? It isn’t cold marble, but feels like captured breath. I like to imagine Eggers and this powerful figure in silent conversation, one with hammer and chisel, the other with the weight of Amsterdam on his shoulders. There’s something profoundly human being carved here, beyond mere representation. What about you? Editor: I agree, that softening gives him such presence, like he’s about to speak. Did marble portraits like this one serve a similar purpose to paintings? Was it about immortalizing the person? Curator: Absolutely! Though, there's also the very feel of marble itself - cool, smooth, and meant to last. I think Eggers really captures that longing for permanence; like, we can fade away, but this *thing*, this idea of ourselves, can linger. The rigid lines and structure somehow imply steadfast character. Editor: I can see that. Now that you mention that tension between character and marble...it kind of makes him seem both vulnerable and powerful at the same time. Curator: Exactly! Maybe it's a game of echoes that art sets off... This listening makes it all shimmer with new color, yes? What will you carry from him? Editor: I never considered sculpture could have so much nuance! Thinking about touch, time, and character, changes the game!