Portret van Michael Lilienthal 1725

Curator: It strikes me immediately as an image of steadfast resolve. The face is so forthright. Editor: Indeed! We're looking at a 1725 print, currently held at the Rijksmuseum, identified as a portrait of Michael Lilienthal by Martin Bernigeroth. It's executed in a style characterized as Baroque line engraving. Curator: Baroque portraits are always so wonderfully theatrical! All that heavy drapery, the elaborate wig... and yet here, the sitter feels surprisingly accessible. He seems less interested in displaying status than in conveying inner strength, don't you think? Editor: Absolutely. Notice the oval frame, almost like a window, presenting Lilienthal to the viewer. It has echoes of a classical medallion, signifying authority. Curator: It also has something almost unsettling, like seeing somebody caged and framed! Is there more to Lilienthal than meets the eye? Editor: Possibly. The inscription indicates he was a "VDM," likely Verbi Divini Minister, minister of the divine word, and member of the Societ. Berolin. Collega. He seems to have been an intellectual, someone associated with Berlin's scholarly circles. Curator: His gaze, so steady and direct, suggests an unshakeable belief in what he represents. What strikes you the most as you study it? Editor: It's the contrast between the intricate details of the engraving and the simplicity of the sitter's expression. The artist meticulously rendered every curl of the wig, every fold of the fabric, yet Lilienthal himself seems to transcend that finery. It's as if he's saying, "Look beyond the trappings to the essence of the man." Curator: You're right, and it really speaks to the values of the historical era of the Baroque period that aimed for spiritual introspection beneath external ornamentation. Thank you for pointing out those elements. Editor: Thanks! I leave you with an observation that although the portrait style looks somehow distant to our modern way of observing life, Lilienthal appears so direct and intimate in the eyes and invites you to the core of his identity.