Theodoor van Loon n.d.

Curator: It feels like I've just walked into a quiet corner of the artist's soul, doesn’t it? This drawing is simply known as "Theodoor van Loon" by Anthony van Dyck, and it lives here at the Art Institute of Chicago. I wonder what kind of weather was present when van Dyck sketched the model? Editor: Well, before thinking of the weather, I'm immediately drawn to the textures at play here. The stark paper juxtaposed with the controlled frenzy of the ink and pencil... it's a study in contrasts. It shows, perhaps inadvertently, the range of skills afforded by certain basic materials, how much work goes into them, and who benefits from its product, namely, in this case, an aristocrat like Van Loon. Curator: Perhaps he saw something of himself in van Loon, or perhaps it was simply an exercise in capturing the essence of a person, his intellectual heft. You can sense the weight of thoughts behind his eyes, can’t you? Editor: I do see the visual power there, but those eyes would be even more affecting if, instead of Van Loon, they were representative of the peasant farmers that supported his livelihood. Those are the eyes I wish I could see rendered with the skill deployed to draw a pampered individual. I wonder what paper costs were at the time? Did it put art like this out of reach of certain segments of the public? Curator: Oh, you’re thinking of that star detail too then, right? It must be symbolic, but in its roughness I wonder what statement is made, that, if done by someone famous, would increase the monetary value of the artwork and, thus, perpetuate its inequalities? The little imperfections are like secrets whispered across time. Editor: The star—and the materiality of the paper itself—offers us access to the history of its making and those who were made invisible through the creative process. Van Dyck didn’t pluck the raw materials from thin air! This speaks of production, and I appreciate that. I mean, there's nothing wrong with admiring beauty but never forget there is material involved that took skill and work to source, refine, and execute this. Curator: Agreed. So, it's a portal then, of the means behind creating the artistic piece. What about we explore something new next? Editor: Agreed; my thoughts exactly! Onward and upward, always seeking.