Head of an Old Man, Profile Left c. 18th century

Editor: This is Benigno Bossi's "Head of an Old Man, Profile Left." The etching feels very intimate, almost like we're intruding on a private moment. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a portrait that, despite its classical presentation, subtly challenges the power structures of 18th-century portraiture. Consider the lines etched onto the face. Do they depict wisdom, or perhaps the marks of hard labor and social struggle? Bossi isn't simply presenting a dignified elder. Editor: That's a really interesting point. I hadn't thought about the socio-political implications. I was too focused on the aesthetic. Curator: Think about who traditionally got their portrait done. This man is not royalty, not nobility. Bossi's choice of subject is a subtle act of democratizing representation, pushing against the established norms of the era. Editor: So, by choosing to portray an "ordinary" man, Bossi is making a statement about who deserves to be seen and remembered? I never would have picked up on that! Thanks! Curator: Exactly! It’s in these quiet acts of artistic defiance that we see the seeds of social change being sown.