Portret van Alessandro Cagliostro 1791

Curator: Hello there! Shall we weave some magic around this historical portrait? Editor: Indeed! This is a Baroque engraving, "Portret van Alessandro Cagliostro" from 1791 by Arend Fokke Willemsz. The text seems to surround Cagliostro's face. I find it peculiar, this image gives me the impression that I’m entering the backstage of an occult show! What secrets do you think are hidden behind this stern look? Curator: Well, perhaps not secrets, more like aspirations! Picture Cagliostro as this almost mythical, larger-than-life figure. This engraving, with its formal pose, seeks to cement his image, control the narrative, despite whisperings of charlatanism and illusion. Do you see the circle? It almost serves to amplify the impact, as if to trap our attention… and judgement! Editor: I hadn’t thought about it like that! The circle could either highlight him or trap him. Almost like a branding... or a mugshot. How interesting! Curator: Precisely! Branding! Consider this was a time of reason, rapidly evolving science, a need to classify and compartmentalize knowledge; This piece may then signal society’s grapple with people such as Cagliostro, or rather "categorizing" illusionists during The Enlightenment. Was he a sorcerer, or simply an entertainer? The work lets you ponder his true motives, doesn't it? Editor: Yes! A showman versus a sorcerer; that little difference adds so much to its allure. It really makes you reflect on our current need to label everyone and everything… Curator: Exactly! I am glad you mentioned this: sometimes the magic resides precisely in the unresolved mystery... A question mark engraved in the soul. Editor: That's so beautifully put! This quick dip into Cagliostro's branding definitely gave me a lot to think about, and definitely changed my mind on judging this kind of baroque portrait.