Print from Drawing Book c. 1610 - 1620

Editor: Here we have “Print from Drawing Book,” likely dating from the 1610s or 1620s, by Luca Ciamberlano. It looks to be etching and ink on paper. The first thing that strikes me is the raw emotion – it’s like a primal scream captured in ink! What do you make of this intense expression? Curator: It’s visceral, isn't it? This wasn't unusual for the Mannerist style, a period of deliberately exaggerated forms that flourished after the Renaissance, where high drama reigned. See how the face is contorted, yet still idealized with classical curls? It reminds me of the theater, maybe a character from a tragic play. Do you get that feeling too, that performative quality? Editor: I do. It’s almost like he’s *posing* in the middle of his agony. What's the point of exaggerating emotion to this extreme? Curator: Good question! Mannerism loved artifice. Instead of aiming for naturalism like the Renaissance, artists wanted to showcase skill, complexity, even intellectual superiority. Exaggerating emotion was a way to grab the viewer and say, “Look how masterfully I can depict feeling!” It's art *about* art. Who do you imagine is screaming? Editor: Maybe an old warrior in his final breath? This style makes me think that in art, portraying emotion isn’t always about capturing real feelings, sometimes it is also to put on a show! Curator: Precisely. Maybe that show is about death, history or some allegory. And what a captivating show it is! Editor: Thanks, I will never see another face again with only two dimensions.