Portret van Jan Beukelsz. van Leyden 1692

Editor: Here we have "Portret van Jan Beukelsz. van Leyden," a print made by John (I) Faber in 1692. It’s an engraving of a man enclosed in two concentric circles, and he has a rather stern look about him. What strikes you when you look at this piece? Curator: Oh, the somberness, absolutely. But for me, it's the lines. It feels so delicately, intentionally rendered, doesn't it? I feel like I can see the artist almost breathing life into Jan right before my eyes. Have you ever thought about printmaking as a form of slow-motion sculpture, taking away little by little to reveal the image? Editor: That's a really beautiful way to put it. So it’s not just about replicating an image, it's more…subtractive? Curator: Precisely. The negative space defines him as much as the lines that are actually there. Consider, too, the historical context. 1692, what do we know about that time? Perhaps this portrait, seemingly simple, speaks volumes about power, memory, or even, dare I say, rebellion in its quiet way. Editor: Rebellious? Because he looks a little…deflated? Curator: Maybe “Deflated” isn’t far off. It depends who Jan van Leyden was and why someone would memorialize his image, centuries later. See, it gets juicy if we let our imaginations do some historical detective work. Who was he to Faber, and to us, now? That’s what gets me going with these prints. They're like little whispering ghosts! Editor: I see your point, like a visual game of telephone, so many layers removed. I am so interested now! Curator: Exactly. It has that "unsaid" quality I always hunt for!