Portrait of a Woman with a Veil; verso: Head of a Woman 1607 - 1612

Curator: Ottavio Leoni’s sketch, "Portrait of a Woman with a Veil," really draws you in, doesn’t it? Editor: It does—there's a delicate melancholy about her; it’s palpable even in pencil. I'm wondering about the quality of the graphite of the time. Curator: And her veil! Note how Leoni uses the simplest of lines to suggest its lacy texture. The paper itself also becomes part of the effect. Editor: Yes, the support is doing a lot of work! It is interesting how Leoni's choices of line weight and composition elevate the sitter beyond the status of "model." The marks on the paper seem less like a recording and more like a performance. Curator: Exactly! There's a sense of intimacy, isn't there? Like we're glimpsing a private moment. Editor: Agreed, and that, coupled with a close look at the tooth of the paper, offers a glimpse into artistic practice of the era. Curator: It’s truly a conversation starter on so many levels. Editor: Definitely—art and materials inviting us to think beyond the surface.