Kop van man met gekromde neus met bontmuts c. 1774 - 1789

Curator: Immediately, this etching brings to mind silent judgement. It’s a bit unforgiving, wouldn't you agree? Editor: Yes, almost severe. I imagine this guy has some strong opinions about... everything. The downturned mouth, the fur hat perched jauntily... he's judging me, I just know it. But there is some humor in the expression. I feel I would love to have a beer with him and listening to his complaints. Curator: This intriguing print is titled “Head of a Man with a Crooked Nose Wearing a Fur Cap.” It's an etching by Jean-Pierre Norblin de la Gourdaine and is estimated to have been created sometime between 1774 and 1789, situating it firmly within a transformative period marked by Neoclassicism and pre-Revolutionary social tensions. Editor: Pre-Revolutionary, eh? No wonder he looks so disgruntled. Maybe he’s secretly plotting something under that ridiculous hat! What do we know about Norblin? Was he embedded in that whole political stew? Curator: Indeed. Norblin’s work provides significant insights into the societal strata and evolving political consciousness of late 18th-century Europe. The attention he pays to physiognomy connects to contemporary pseudosciences examining character and social class. The curved nose and carefully rendered fur hat are not arbitrary. Instead, these carefully depicted characteristics invite us to question prevailing notions about identity and marginalization, as well as how people perceive each other. Editor: That’s a super-interesting way to look at it. For me, what sticks out are the scratches that give it life. It has a quickness to it; he feels very alive in that moment. Curator: Absolutely, that vivacity exists because Norblin combined acute observation with exceptional skill in etching. But more so, I think Norblin challenged traditional portraiture norms. Editor: So, he wasn't just sketching a face, he was making a statement. Curator: Exactly. He seems to prompt dialogue on who gets represented, how they’re represented, and why. It also resonates with discussions of access and representation, then and now. Editor: Wow. Now I see the depth in this little portrait. It’s more than just a grumpy dude in a funny hat! I initially looked only on the surface level. But this made me appreciate Norblin’s artwork for its insight. Curator: It gives a chance to appreciate history and the present at the same time.