Portret van Manfred Septalius 1625 - 1669

Curator: Welcome. We are now observing Giovanni Battista Bonacina’s “Portret van Manfred Septalius,” dating roughly between 1625 and 1669, residing here at the Rijksmuseum. The artwork is an engraving. Editor: The starkness immediately grabs me—it's the sharp contrast that gives it a resolute quality. There’s almost a photographic clarity in its textures and details, despite the limited tonal range. Curator: Indeed. The graphic quality of engraving lends itself well to portraiture of this kind. Note how Bonacina has harnessed the etching technique to achieve a nuanced play of light and shadow, essential for delineating the volumes and textures. Observe, too, the framing and overall geometric articulation, lending to structural strength. Editor: And consider Septalius' gaze – fixed, resolute, with a hint of world-weariness. That’s an attribute closely tied to visual emblems, signs indicating the soul. His very accoutrements – the simple cap, the high collar – don’t merely signify status, they are clues to his moral universe. We’re in a deeply symbolic age, here. Curator: Your attention to Septalius’ presence as constructed via the material details and historical cues is spot-on. However, consider that Bonacina might also be demonstrating the artistic trends of his time by placing emphasis on mimesis via a range of cross-hatching and a strategic layout that allows for optical intrigue. Editor: Both points certainly ring true, and it’s a confluence of elements we see in many period works. But it is also a striking commentary on both subject and maker, working within and against convention to establish a cultural legacy. Curator: Precisely, it is about carefully weighing symbolic significance along with historical factors alongside what strikes you purely on its own terms as something powerful. Editor: Yes, uncovering symbolic weight within its own context, within a structure—so much more than the sum of its parts. A legacy not just visualized, but profoundly felt and decoded.