Portret van Thomas Lediard op 40-jarige leeftijd 1725

Editor: Here we have "Portret van Thomas Lediard op 40-jarige leeftijd", an engraving made around 1725 by Christian Fritzsch. The gentleman seems quite full of himself, don’t you think? All that Baroque detailing…it's almost comical. What do you see when you look at this, beyond the wig and the self-importance? Curator: Oh, but there's delight to be found in the theatricality of it all! Imagine the scrape of the engraver's tool, etching that glorious wig, each strand meticulously rendered. Do you notice the motto beneath the coat of arms – "In spe et silentio?" "In hope and silence." It whispers a secret longing behind the grand facade. What hopes might Thomas Lediard have held close, shrouded in silence? Editor: Hmm, I hadn’t thought of it that way. So, the seemingly arrogant display is perhaps… a mask? A way to project power while concealing vulnerability? Curator: Precisely! It's the dance of the Baroque, isn’t it? A push and pull between ostentation and inner reflection. The portrait isn’t just a likeness; it’s a stage upon which Lediard performs his identity for the world – and perhaps for himself. He tells us everything while saying nothing at all. What I really see here is our dear Thomas holding on hope! Editor: That makes me see the piece in a whole new light. From comedy to maybe even…tragedy? Thanks for shifting my perspective. Curator: My pleasure! It's always worthwhile to look beneath the surface and into the light – a mirror into another soul, across so many centuries. And the Baroque never disappoints in hiding such reflections!