The Hurdy-Gurdy Player c. 17th century

Editor: This is "The Hurdy-Gurdy Player," an etching by Jacques Bellange, created around the 17th century. The way the man's face is contorted seems almost grotesque, a far cry from idealized portraits. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see echoes of commedia dell'arte. The hurdy-gurdy player, often a figure of ridicule or pathos, embodies a cultural memory of itinerant performers. This character, though, seems almost aggressive, doesn’t he? Notice the dramatic lighting, the swirling drapery. Bellange is using Baroque theatricality, yes, but to depict someone quite unglamorous. Do you see a deeper connection here, perhaps a symbol of social disruption? Editor: Disruption? Because he's not idealized? Curator: Exactly! Bellange seems fascinated by how familiar archetypes and figures carry emotional weight. He plays with those expectations, subverting them. This figure becomes a sort of anti-hero. Look at his mouth. It is opened to display the gap of missing teeth, adding to a complex expression. Bellange etches with a great deal of artistry here, almost as though making an emblem of social and physical disruption, yes? What do you feel as you compare your emotional reading with mine? Editor: That’s fascinating. I hadn’t considered the social implications. I was mostly caught up in the sort of…ugliness of it all. Curator: Ah, and there’s a critical tension to notice; ugliness often embodies the grotesque in our own personal iconography. And through that expression, a wealth of meaning. I think we should also look at other cultural examples that fit with what this iconography tells us… Editor: That’s a totally new way to look at Baroque portraiture for me. Thanks!