Claude Regnauldin 1658

Editor: So, this is a portrait of Claude Regnauldin by Robert Nanteuil. It’s… stately, I guess? The detail is incredible. I’m curious, what stands out to you about this piece? Curator: The *gravitas*, certainly. Nanteuil really captures that 17th-century seriousness, doesn't he? I wonder, though, if it's a bit tongue-in-cheek? Look at the slight twinkle in his eye, almost like he knows the whole thing is a bit of a performance. It’s as if he is saying, "Yes, I'm important, but I also have a sense of humor about myself." Editor: That's interesting. I was so focused on the formality that I missed any hint of playfulness. Curator: It's hidden in plain sight, isn't it? It makes you wonder what Regnauldin was really like. Editor: I’ll definitely look closer at portraits from now on.