Simonis Menno c. 17th century

Curator: This engraving, attributed to Jacob Burghart, depicts Simonis Menno, a significant religious figure. What's your first impression? Editor: Intensely scholarly, almost stoic. The light seems trapped, focused on the act of writing. It's a very private moment, made public. Curator: Precisely. Menno, framed by this octagonal border, is shown in the act of theological work. The books, the quill—they reinforce his intellectual labor. The inscription reinforces his age, 63. This was a time of religious and social upheaval. Editor: All that seriousness! It seems like you could use the pages as a cushion against the hard chair... I wonder what he was writing? A love note? Curator: More likely a theological treatise. Considering the historical context, this image serves as a powerful assertion of Menno's authority. Editor: Maybe so, but as a portrait, it lacks a certain warmth. Still, you can't deny its meticulous detail; the artist really committed to it. Curator: Exactly. And those details speak volumes about the social and political weight of the man represented. Editor: Well, I still hope he took a break now and again.