Ove Skade. Mindeblad 1666

Editor: So this is “Ove Skade. Mindeblad,” created in 1666 by Albert Haelwegh. It's an engraving, a print, and it really strikes me as quite ornate and... theatrical, almost like a stage set. I am really interested in your reading. What’s the first thing you see in this piece? Curator: Oh, absolutely a stage set! The drama of grief, the elaborate choreography of mourning…it's all there. First, my eyes are drawn upwards to the celestial happenings: figures floating amidst billowing clouds, clutching texts, being hit by light. To me, it feels as though heaven has opened. What I see here is less a portrait and more a complex allegorical puzzle. Did you catch the coffin with the text covering it, juxtaposed against those living mourners standing in wait on earth? Editor: Yes, the heavenly versus the earthly feels really stark! I did notice the shields or emblems along the bottom, and a portrait on the lower side of a nobleman – can you tell me a bit more about these different elements? Curator: Absolutely! So, that portrait in the decorative frame, most likely, is Ove Skade, the individual being memorialized. It places a face to the name and situates him in earthly regality. And those shields – aren't they fantastic? Coats of arms, family crests…visual declarations of lineage and belonging. It speaks to the importance of family and legacy during the Baroque era, don't you think? All those carefully rendered details hint at someone of real consequence, but maybe with more power to the Skade family? Editor: So much detail! It's fascinating how different eras value different methods of documenting and displaying prestige. Curator: Isn't it? And remember, prints like these were relatively accessible. This engraving would have circulated among the elite, reinforcing a specific narrative around Ove Skade’s life and death, both commemorating an individual and promoting a family identity. Think of it as carefully crafted social media... from the 17th century! Editor: I’ll definitely keep that in mind.