Cornelis Ploos van Amstel c. 18th century

Editor: This striking image is by Cornelis Ploos van Amstel. It seems to be some kind of print. I’m really intrigued by the color and the intricate linework - what do you see in this piece? Curator: It's a world teeming with curiosity, isn't it? A stage set, really, where a portrait emerges from a cascade of curious objects. A trumpet, a book…it all whispers of hidden stories. It’s as if the artist is inviting us to decipher a personal riddle. Editor: A personal riddle, I like that. So the objects aren’t just decorative? Curator: Precisely. Each object is a clue, a fragment of a larger narrative. Perhaps it’s van Amstel’s whimsical self-portrait, layered with symbolism we can only begin to guess at. It asks us to consider: what do we choose to surround ourselves with, and what does that say about who we are? Editor: That makes me see it so differently, like a window into a mind. Curator: Exactly!