Portret van paus Adrianus VI 1657 - 1707

Curator: This print, housed here at the Rijksmuseum, is a portrait of Pope Adrian VI. Hendrik Bary executed it sometime between 1657 and 1707 using engraving techniques. It offers us a window into the papacy of a man who reigned very briefly in the early 16th century. Editor: It has such a striking intensity. The cross-hatching of the engraving gives his face a very austere, almost weathered appearance. What about the symbolic elements on his cloak, the figurative medallions? Curator: Absolutely. They’re powerful signifiers. Pope Adrian VI's papal robes are adorned with detailed vignettes – notice how the artist renders these scenes, seemingly alluding to virtue, piety, and potentially, the burdens of leadership through their symbolic language. The figures appear trapped inside the robe's pattern, signifying something about the struggles against one's faith, for example. Editor: The very texture feels laden, right? All those intricate patterns—almost like a suit of armor rather than a garment of spiritual ease. Did these symbolic elements carry a broader political charge at the time of the engraving’s creation? Curator: Very likely so. During this period, engravings often acted as potent vehicles for spreading political or religious messaging, capitalizing on the power of visual rhetoric. The surrounding inscription suggests a deeper narrative layer concerning Pope Adrian VI’s burdens and clashes, indicating that these aren't merely decorative but hold thematic weight, especially given that the artist’s period came long after Pope Adrian’s short rule. Editor: The inscription...almost functions as an editorial, really shaping our reception. Curator: Precisely! That combination offers not just a likeness but an entire constructed narrative—Hendrik Bary definitely uses imagery here to build and comment upon Adrian's legacy. What lingers with me is the contrast between his intense gaze and the weighty cloak – he is simultaneously burdened and resolute. Editor: For me, I am still struck by the intense quality of his gaze: burdened as you mention, and yet—so humanly vulnerable at the same time. This print really exemplifies how images preserve and reshape memories long after an individual passes into history.