Portret van Jean Taisner 1682

Curator: Check out this rather intense portrait of Jean Taisner from 1682, engraved by Nicolas de Larmessin the First. It’s part of the Rijksmuseum's collection. What strikes you about it initially? Editor: Oof, the gaze! He looks like he's about to either solve a very difficult problem or deliver some profoundly bad news. There's also a curious symmetry to the piece... an orb behind him in the left, a circular insignia of sorts behind him to the right, bookending his head. Curator: Right? That directness is part of what makes Baroque portraiture so compelling. There's this very calculated performance of status happening. Taisner was quite the Renaissance man himself. He practiced law but also became renowned as an astrologer and mathematician. He was also known for writing on occult sciences... Editor: The symbols surrounding him definitely support that! We see geometric tools all over the table and of course, there's that strange emblem... a hand, upturned with symbols within its palm! Was Taisner keen on palmistry? Curator: Well, it seems he advocated for what he termed 'chiromancy'. What I find interesting, though, is the calculated way Larmessin uses the engraving to bolster Taisner's intellectual persona. This wasn't just a depiction, it was about image construction in a society where reputation and patronage were everything. Editor: Absolutely. Everything is so meticulously rendered, too. It speaks to the growing importance of the printing press, particularly in its power to create a sort of brand recognition, even back then. You had to get your likeness, your *persona* just right! The line work feels tight but not clinical. A nice tension. Curator: It truly does! A fine testament to both the artist's and the sitter's ambitions, preserved across centuries. Makes you wonder how we'll curate our online personas someday. Editor: Hmmm, a scary, intriguing thought! One worth a lot more exploration, perhaps after another glance at this impressive specimen here!