Portretten van twee courtisanes 1630 - 1632

Editor: This engraving, "Portraits of Two Courtesans" by Crispijn van de Passe II, dates back to around 1630. It feels quite intimate, almost like a page torn from a personal sketchbook rather than a formal portrait. The level of detail achieved through engraving is just striking. What stands out to you about it? Curator: It tickles my imagination, truly. Forget what the Dutch actually thought! Forget about pious bourgeois society! I think of theatre when I see this; I conjure the Dutch stage with these figures as actresses. Look at them. It's so baroque, isn’t it? With its ornate swirls and embrace of *pathos*. The dress, the flowers, and those suggestive glances all amplify its allure and decadence. Why are they paired, do you think? Almost twins separated only by different headdresses! Do you imagine them with secrets to tell, just bubbling underneath the surface? Editor: It's interesting to think of them as actresses playing a role. I hadn’t considered that the “genre painting” tag might imply a theatrical element rather than simple realism. Curator: Yes, these "courtisanes," not necessarily prostitutes. What if they’re performers who cultivate these personalities *as art*? Almost modern, aren't they? A collaboration! Margo with her knowing wink. And Ann, perhaps holding promises instead of just a bouquet. It begs us to ask: what story would we write for them? Editor: So, from a seeming straightforward depiction, you've unlocked a possible commentary on performance, identity, and maybe even proto-feminist empowerment! I'll definitely look at engravings differently now. Curator: And hopefully, *create* something in the looking! The highest art offers not just an end-result, but a start.