Portret van de lettersnijder Jacobus Franciscus Rosart 1766

Curator: Here we have a drawing by Cornelis van Noorde from 1766. It’s titled "Portret van de lettersnijder Jacobus Franciscus Rosart"—or, "Portrait of the letter cutter Jacobus Franciscus Rosart". It’s done in pen, a delicate rendering held by the Rijksmuseum. Editor: My first thought? Enigmatic. A portrait encased in what appears to be an allegorical setting, figures draped around an oval frame. The man's gaze is direct, but the sketch-like quality of everything lends an air of incompleteness, or perhaps becoming. Curator: You nailed it; becoming is very much at play. The baroque style lends it a flair of drama but look closely—Rosart's profession as a letter cutter is celebrated within its design, right? There are these figures with their academic and rather sculptural feel. Editor: Right, and situated under the main portrait, there's what looks like a frieze with many miniature figures. It’s intriguing how this elevates Rosart into something monumental—though he appears quite ordinary at first glance. What statements do we make when choosing to preserve an image? Curator: And even enshrine someone in pen, and through lines? Rosart might've lived a quiet life, known mainly in certain craftsman circles; and here Van Noorde elevates his skill into the realm of art and lasting record, giving us this rather wonderful artifact. This is more than a mere rendering; it's an ode to craftsmanship. Editor: Indeed. It reminds me how art itself becomes an artifact that invites exploration into the cultural, societal, and personal narratives. Here, who are these supporting characters on stage? And, as usual, who is writing history and from what point of view? And for whom? It would have been quite rebellious if van Noorde included someone who society at the time considered outside of societal boundaries. Curator: And, as artists ourselves, maybe it's also about finding kinship, paying respect across skills. I, for one, love the softness, it feels like I'm holding history lightly in my hands and mind at once, as a story rather than dogma. Editor: Perhaps van Noorde and Rosart spoke a shared language understood best between creators? Curator: Maybe they did, a conversation happening still, now, between these careful lines.