Bildnis des Nicolaus Ruland (_) 

Curator: This is "Bildnis des Nicolaus Ruland" – a portrait of Nicolaus Ruland – rendered by Johann Heinrich Roos, sometime in the 17th century. Editor: An interesting choice. The initial impression is one of reserve; there is such a sense of poised stoicism that pervades the graphite and metalpoint. I want to know more about him and why he feels so still. Curator: Absolutely, and Roos captures more than mere likeness. The piece uses visual shorthands which place Ruland into a certain social and cultural sphere. His dark, buttoned doublet, the simple, wide white collar – these denote status, authority and the solemnity appropriate to a man of standing. Editor: It’s intriguing how the oval format contains, almost corrals, the figure. Notice how his hand seems to breach that boundary at the base. What do you think Roos means to convey with this tension? Curator: Precisely. The symbolism could imply a subtle desire to break free, to project beyond established conventions. This was the 17th century, so challenging conventions was less common. Ruland’s attire marks him as part of an elite cadre, but it’s Roos' masterful application of shadow that betrays some disquiet. He projects that disquiet beyond the mere facts of his position. Editor: Shadow does so much work. The fall of light, especially, directs our eye into considering aspects of psychological tension in a subtle performance of internal disquiet against imposed formality. In that gaze, just barely avoiding ours, lies volumes. The slight upturn of the lip; he contains a secret, no? Curator: I’m inclined to agree. Whether intentional or not on the artist's part, the viewer projects these potential secret histories onto the work, adding to its ongoing narrative through time. This interplay adds layers of depth and contemporary relevance to a portrait from the 17th century. Editor: It's the texture I find remarkable. I see the cross-hatching defining the volumes, the contrasts so deftly rendered that imbue him with a breath. Curator: Yes, technique elevates the subject, doesn't it? Thank you for elucidating such salient features. Editor: My pleasure; I depart with a far richer experience of Herr Ruland.