Portret van een man, van voren 1658 - 1677

Editor: So, here we have "Portret van een man, van voren," a rather dashing engraving by Wallerant Vaillant, dating from 1658 to 1677. The Rijksmuseum has it now. I'm struck by its almost photographic realism achieved through the engraving technique. It’s pretty intense, staring right back at you. What do you make of it? Curator: Ah, Vaillant! A magician with mezzotint. He scraped away darkness to reveal light, didn't he? Imagine him, fussing, making this plate sing with character. The weight of it, the burnishing… But look beyond the technique. See the gaze? Intense, yes, but also searching. It speaks of a world in flux. Baroque drama tempered with…dare I say… a hint of Dutch pragmatism? Editor: Pragmatism? Really? I saw more, I don’t know, somberness, maybe? The darks really give it weight. Curator: Weight, yes. Like Rembrandt’s shadows, but Vaillant doesn’t wallow, does he? His line, it’s confident. A man of business, a scholar perhaps. Or maybe a really good diplomat concealing anxieties beneath his fancy collar. Does it not occur to you that every etched line might be a question the artist himself pondered? Editor: I hadn't thought about Vaillant pondering questions *while* etching… that's intriguing. I guess it brings more life to the piece, knowing there's almost a conversation embedded in the process. Curator: Exactly! Art isn’t a pronouncement, but a proposition. It’s about entering the dialogue. Thank you for considering that, dear. Editor: Definitely given me something to think about – it really changed my perspective. Curator: Mine as well. Perspective… everything hinges on it.