Mandsportræt med sort kalot 1726 - 1748

Curator: The portrait we’re looking at, "Mandsportræt med sort kalot" which translates to "Portrait of a Man with a Black Cap," dates from between 1726 and 1748. It’s attributed to David Gardelle and resides here at the SMK, the National Gallery of Denmark. Editor: It’s surprisingly intimate, even severe. The small oval format focuses so much attention on his face, his rather melancholic expression framed by the stark white collar and that dark, almost somber cap. Curator: Indeed, Gardelle seems to have carefully constructed an image that is about quiet dignity, perhaps even authority, even as its intimate size conveys approachability. We should note that during this era portraiture served very particular purposes linked to the sitter's personal identity and status, the clothing, especially the severe cut and dark palette, speaks to someone likely of prominence. Editor: I agree. Black and white have such loaded meaning, don’t they? It’s striking how those color choices affect the power dynamic of the image. I mean, a modern reading could consider the absence of vibrant colour as communicating a disinterest in performative aspects of self, maybe hinting at the restraints of his role, especially a man with a collar like that! Curator: Precisely. The choice of such an austere colour palette further accentuates the detail in his face: the gentle shadows around his eyes and mouth suggesting the weight of experience. It begs a lot of questions for sure. Who was this man, and what significance might we apply to the simple cap which adorns the upper region of his skull? I like the idea that this painting presents an opportunity to weave his narrative, imagined or factual, into our story and world. Editor: Agreed! The enduring appeal of symbols lets us consider meanings far beyond Gardelle’s world. Overall, a really subtle exploration of personhood and perhaps constraint which are obviously perennial topics of discussion today. Curator: And what about the golden frame, so common at the time, does that further enhance an understanding or skew it further? Lots of questions to be considered. Editor: Definitely, it adds to the feeling of this being a cherished and enduring image, meant to persist, while inviting a contemporary assessment, after all.