Josias von Rantzau te paard 1840 - 1843

Editor: Okay, next up we have “Josias von Rantzau te paard,” created between 1840 and 1843 by Augustinus Josephus Aloysius van Rijckevorsel. It's a print – looks like an engraving – depicting a nobleman on horseback. The detail is incredible, almost photorealistic despite the historical setting. It gives me a feeling of old world stateliness, you know, but also maybe a hint of swagger? What stands out to you when you look at it? Curator: Swagger indeed! It's that perfectly tilted hat, isn't it? For me, these historical prints are like whispers from the past. I imagine the artist carefully etching each line, thinking about how to capture not just the man's likeness, but his *essence*. There’s almost a theatrical quality, don’t you think? That elaborate costume… It’s almost as if he's about to give a performance! It is a glorification but with realistic attention to his facial features that give him personality. Do you feel like you get a sense of who he was as a person, looking at this? Editor: Definitely a sense of presence, even authority. The way he holds that little telescope thing… Curator: A spyglass, yes! And it’s not just about seeing afar; it symbolizes vision, leadership. Think about it: In those days, controlling information, knowing what’s coming, that was power. Plus, mounted on a horse? Total domination of your surroundings! What do you suppose someone today would compare it to – a CEO in their penthouse office, maybe? Editor: Perhaps. There is a sort of CEO confidence to it! Seeing it like that makes the historical distance seem to shrink, which is kind of the point, isn’t it? Thanks, that’s helpful. Curator: Precisely. Art allows us that amazing empathy - we see their world, and perhaps reflect upon our own! Makes one wonder what future generations will think when they look back at *our* "power portraits."