Giovanni Ciampoli, Papal Secretary 1627

Curator: Well, what a stern fellow! There's something very...serious about the set of his mouth in this engraving. Editor: Indeed! What we're looking at is Ottavio Leoni's "Giovanni Ciampoli, Papal Secretary," created in 1627. It's a striking example of Baroque portraiture captured in print. Curator: The intricacy of the lines is fascinating. You can almost feel the texture of the paper itself. The artist really committed to carving every single line to give form to his figure, whose eyes show how exhausted he must be, dealing with church affairs! Editor: The social standing of the sitter really is what fascinates me about this work. Ciampoli held significant influence within the Vatican. These prints served not just as portraits but as public markers of status and connections. Think about the labor to circulate those. The very act of commissioning and distributing such a print would solidify one's power. Curator: Right! The image’s consumption as much as its composition tells the tale. There is no splendor in his garments. A secretary! Probably drowning in parchments! Yet Leoni dedicated his time to depict his toil, through his own labor of cutting the lines of this copper matrix. I wonder what kind of ink was used here and who pulled these prints? Editor: Excellent questions, which open up discussions about the art world of the 17th century. Looking at Leoni identified as Roman Pictor here really speaks to how the visual language of power in the era of Baroque Rome and the function and reception of images helped define both individuals and institutions. Curator: To think of the socio-political network buzzing just behind those weary eyes... Editor: And to consider the physical processes, too – from the etching tools in the artist’s hand to the ink and paper of the final product, reminds us of the work behind the image, how making is inextricably tied to meaning. Curator: An austere print that nonetheless tells us so much about the making of imagery, and the social tapestry of its time.