Portret van hertog Willem van Kleef, Gulik en Berg, graaf van Mark, heer van Ravenstein te paard 1543

Curator: Let's turn our attention to a mixed-media print by Cornelis Anthonisz. made in 1543: "Portret van hertog Willem van Kleef, Gulik en Berg, graaf van Mark, heer van Ravenstein te paard"—that’s "Portrait of Duke William of Cleves, Julich and Berg, Count of Mark, Lord of Ravenstein on Horseback". Editor: Wow, quite a title. My immediate impression is that this is an explosion of ornamental details—like a glorious parade on paper! The sheer volume of decoration is a little overwhelming, yet utterly compelling. Curator: Indeed, the work’s meticulous details point to a master engraver at work, someone confident with representing the textures of armor, fabrics, and the regal bearing of Duke William. Look closely at the heraldic devices—each seems rendered with painstaking precision. The color choices also suggest the print served a very decorative function, didn’t it? Editor: It does feel both historical record and fabulous decoration. And it asks questions, for me: Is this portrait simply about displaying power? Or could Anthonisz. be making a quiet comment about the burden of it all? William looks solid, but perhaps just a little… tired. Curator: Ah, that is interesting to consider. One could definitely say the artwork oscillates between a celebration of aristocratic might and a more intimate, reflective portrait, complicated further with the print’s multiple layers of artistic fabrication and mechanical reproduction. Editor: I find it fascinating how something made to promote prestige and permanence, crafted in ink and paper, can reveal such nuanced ambivalence over the passing centuries. It makes the art seem almost like an invitation. Curator: Well said. This piece manages to speak both of its time and to ours—about power, image, and, perhaps unexpectedly, human vulnerability. A fascinating work from a pivotal moment in history.