Portret van H. Nicolaas van Tolentino 1611 - 1647

Editor: Here we have Michel van Lochom’s “Portret van H. Nicolaas van Tolentino,” made sometime between 1611 and 1647. It's an engraving, a print, really, and what strikes me immediately is how this one image seems to capture two separate worlds, the earthly and the divine, side by side. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Indeed! The division is quite intentional. Notice how St. Nicholas is presented within an ornate oval frame, but behind him is an open space featuring the crucifix. Lochom uses this visual layering to highlight the Saint’s liminal position between the earthly realm and the divine sacrifice. Ask yourself, what does the crucifix typically symbolize in art of this period? Editor: Salvation, redemption, faith…suffering, too? Curator: Precisely! The juxtaposition invites contemplation of these very themes. Look, too, at St. Nicholas's hands, clasped in prayer, contrasted with the agony displayed in the Christ figure behind him. One might consider this an allegory. Is this suffering saint still in need of saving grace, like the viewer, or is he meant to represent our redemption? Note, too, the light. Where does it fall? What is illuminated, and what is obscured? Editor: Most of the light seems to focus on St. Nicholas, his face especially, but Christ is there, highlighted in His moment of suffering… the dichotomy, again! Curator: The print medium itself allows for the dissemination of this iconography to a wider audience, further reinforcing the image's purpose in communicating these theological concepts. The intent is less to showcase artistry and more to solidify and propagate spiritual doctrine via symbol. Editor: That's a new way to think about portraiture, not just capturing a likeness, but also conveying complex ideas! Thank you. Curator: My pleasure. The power of symbolic imagery truly transcends time and media.