Jean-Baptiste de Blye c. 17th century

Editor: So, this is a portrait of Jean-Baptiste de Blye by Gérard Edelinck. It’s quite striking, so formal and powerful. What’s your take on this? Curator: Edelinck's skill with the burin is something to behold. The way he captures the textures, the fur, the hair…it’s almost tactile. It makes me think about the weight of representation and the performance of power. Does it feel like he's almost too real? Editor: Real, but maybe a bit... distant? I'm not sure. Curator: Perhaps. It’s a dance, isn't it? A dance between presence and presentation. I wonder, what does this image tell us about the man, Jean-Baptiste de Blye? Editor: It's like he's both there and not there. That's a cool way to look at it! Curator: Glad I could help!