Portret van Menno Hanneken 1671

Curator: Here we have “Portret van Menno Hanneken” from 1671, by Martin Bülck, currently held at the Rijksmuseum. It’s an engraving. Editor: It’s quite formal, isn't it? The crisp lines of the engraving, the symmetrical composition… he really looks like a man of importance, perhaps even a bit severe! What do you see in this piece that I might be missing? Curator: I'm caught by the inscription, the flourish of the letters themselves, acting as a frame, a sort of intellectual proscenium for the man. He's being presented not just as an individual but as a scholar, a figure defined by the text, the word made flesh. And yet, doesn't that elaborate ruff feel almost comical in its stark contrast to the sitter's face? Editor: Comical? I hadn’t thought of that. Now that you mention it, the seriousness and that ruffled collar is pretty interesting! Why would they include a touch like that? Curator: Maybe it’s the Baroque playing peek-a-boo, poking fun at the very authority it’s seemingly upholding? Is it possible the artist wished for there to be humanity beyond those textual proclamations? Do you see how the curtain frames Hanneken, subtly implying a theatrical presentation? Editor: So, he's both an individual and a character at once. Almost as though his public persona is a performance. Very cool! Thanks! Curator: Indeed, we have witnessed, a printed drama of selfhood playing out. These prints freeze moments that contain multitudes. Fascinating to unravel isn't it?