Michelangelo c. 1574

Curator: Giorgio Ghisi created this engraving, “Michelangelo,” and what grabs me first is the incredible texture. The way he captures hair and beard is truly captivating, like light playing across a stormy sea. Editor: Right, and it's essential to consider this portrait not just as a representation of Michelangelo but as a carefully constructed statement on artistic genius during the Renaissance. Note the Latin inscription; how does it shape our reading? Curator: For me, it highlights that melancholy, a deep sense of knowing both beauty and the fragility of life. Editor: Indeed. Ghisi situates Michelangelo as a near-divine figure, emphasizing his ability to extract beauty and form from earthly materials. It's an interesting commentary on art, life, and mortality. Curator: It certainly makes you ponder the weight of such legacy. Editor: Absolutely, it makes me reflect on the artists and works that history has forgotten or erased.