In venetia & altrove 1598

Curator: Immediately, what strikes me is the rather stiff posture of the figure. And that curious gaze… Almost as if he's caught mid-thought, a bit melancholy. Editor: Indeed. Here we have an engraving from 1598, titled "In venetia & altrove," by Christoph Krieger. Curator: "In Venice and Elsewhere," the title translates to. Intriguing. His puffy sleeves, the slashed skirt – there's a theatrical air, wouldn't you say? Like a character waiting backstage. Editor: Krieger captures the fashion sensibilities of the period, certainly, but also, perhaps unintentionally, comments on the artifice inherent in these displays of wealth and status. There's a performative aspect to nobility that the artist subtly underscores. It’s a historical record and a statement. Curator: A statement... Perhaps. Though, I also see the engraving process itself—the cross-hatching, the sharp lines—contributing to that somewhat severe mood. The frame adds a sort of ironic levity with its playful grotesques. I find the image surprisingly honest, in its way. Editor: Consider the broader European context. The late 16th century was a time of religious wars, shifting power dynamics, and entrenched social hierarchies. Krieger, through this meticulously crafted engraving, invites us to interrogate not just Venetian fashion but the systems that uphold and perpetuate these displays of power. The man may represent someone from Venetian high society but, looking at the image in that way, it could also be "someone from any high society." Curator: Perhaps it is the very stillness that gives this engraving its power, and makes one consider it after spending time considering it. The sitter is both present and absent. A frozen moment that says much about then and now. Editor: Yes. And perhaps we too are invited to freeze our own reflections of the piece into an analysis of power structures and the place of each of our gazes within those very structures. It's powerful how much discourse art of centuries past is still useful to use in today's critical world.