Portret van koning Arthur in medaillon binnen rechthoekige omlijsting met ornamenten 1594

Curator: Right, let's look at this intriguing print: "Portret van koning Arthur in medaillon binnen rechthoekige omlijsting met ornamenten"—Portrait of King Arthur in a Medallion within a Rectangular Frame with Ornaments. It was created in 1594 by Nicolaes de Bruyn. Editor: Well, first impressions...it’s incredibly detailed. Overwhelmingly so, actually! A very busy celebration of Arthur, it looks like he is lost inside a wild party. All these symbolic objects: flowers, vases, putti sounding their little trumpets... Curator: Ornamentation certainly reigned supreme at that time. But looking closely, there is something deeply touching here. This isn't just about showing wealth or status; it is about constructing identity. You see Arthur framed in the oval, giving him a classic noble look... Editor: An oval for an important head, as the Greeks and Romans did. Tell me more about de Bruyn's methods... It appears this image wasn’t produced from just one copper plate. You can almost feel the pressure of the printing press and see how the work unfolds across the page through labor and technical prowess. Curator: Absolutely, the engraving captures a level of fine detail achieved through real mastery, requiring layered inks, controlled biting agents, and skillful application onto paper. The choice of Arthur is curious. England was moving to find roots for their monarchy in antiquity. I find this work oddly poignant; it hints at what the artist wishes England to be and how its ruler should embody the mythical king Arthur. Editor: Indeed. Looking closer, beyond the putti and overflowing decoration, one detects this wistful expression, as you said. Arthur gazes slightly down, with kind, wise eyes—maybe weighing up the value of legacy or wondering about a bright future? The material and process offer not just decorative artifice, but invite speculation about ambition. The print is like an engine of royal image-making: both promoting an image while offering tangible matter—an art piece—to be possessed. Curator: It's as though Arthur himself understands that his myth is as much constructed as it is inherited. An artist using material and legend to speak to an audience. This old print, as the "real" monarch passes from one age into another, becomes an expression of something larger than the sovereign's identity, a piece that talks about England's story. Editor: Yes, in many ways. De Bruyn and his "Arthur" provide an argument about value that reaches out from then to today. The method makes that possible.