Portrait of Simon von Liebenstein (?) 1513 - 1519

Editor: This is Hans Schwarz’s "Portrait of Simon von Liebenstein(?)," created sometime between 1513 and 1519 using pencil. It's at the Met in New York. I'm struck by the starkness of the profile, and that fantastic hat! What catches your eye in this drawing? Curator: That hat indeed! It's practically a character itself. And the directness of the gaze, even in profile, is arresting, don't you think? What secrets does he hold, this Simon…or maybe not-Simon? The very fine lines, the soft shading – it speaks of the Northern Renaissance obsession with capturing reality, yes, but also a tenderness towards the subject. Almost as if Schwarz were getting to know him through the act of drawing. Do you sense that too? Editor: Absolutely. There's an intimacy, despite the formal pose. I'm curious about the question mark after the name, though. Is the identity uncertain? Curator: Ah, the delicious mystery! Portraits then weren't always commissioned by the sitter, sometimes by family, or for posterity... so the records can be, shall we say, a tad unreliable. Imagine the stories swirling around this drawing for centuries – who he was, what he did, who cared enough to have him drawn. It gives the piece a life beyond the paper itself, doesn’t it? Makes me want to write a poem about it! What does this work prompt in you, Editor? Editor: I think it underscores the power of portraits to freeze a moment and capture someone's likeness through time. This one might be "Simon(?)", but regardless, he embodies the style and concerns of his era so well. It makes history feel... human. Curator: Precisely! The little imperfections are as revealing as the perfectly rendered details, a whispered secret from the past. A reminder that even portraits can only suggest answers to an unfinished story. Thanks for looking at it with me, Editor! Editor: Thank you, I noticed details I may have missed!