Soldaat met een stok c. 1656 - 1657

Editor: This etching, “Soldier with a Stick,” by Salvator Rosa, dating from around 1656, lives here at the Rijksmuseum. There's something almost theatrical about this lone figure. He seems to be caught mid-stride, and the rendering feels rather dramatic. What captures your attention most when you look at this piece? Curator: Ah, yes, theatrical is the perfect word. Rosa had such a flair for the dramatic. For me, it’s the tension in that contrapposto stance – the twist in his body – and the way the light catches the folds of his garment, suggesting movement and maybe, a touch of internal turmoil. It makes me wonder what his story is, you know? A story hinted at, not spelled out. He almost reminds me of a rogue from some travelling comedia dell'arte troupe... Or perhaps, a player from a fevered dream? Editor: I hadn't thought about it that way, but I can see that, a kind of world-weariness. The detail in the clothing, the way it hangs...it makes me want to know the narrative behind this solitary soldier. Curator: Absolutely, and that is the clever dance of Baroque art! Isn't it funny how a simple etching can contain so much unspoken narrative? I like to think that he is striding across time to meet us right here, today. How many dramas and comedies must this man have seen to affect us so? What do you make of his staff, that unwavering rod, it gives pause doesn’t it? It feels like a signpost, wouldn’t you agree? Editor: Yes, absolutely. It is now impossible for me not to see him like that. Thanks for helping me find a narrative. Curator: My pleasure! Hopefully the story follows you long after you have left the museum!