Penning met het portret van Hendrik II, koning van Frankrijk 1719

Editor: Here we have "Penning met het portret van Hendrik II, koning van Frankrijk", or "Medal with the portrait of Henry II, King of France," an engraving by Bernard Picart from 1719. It's incredibly detailed, almost like a banknote, but it’s also a little stiff, a bit…uninviting. What do you make of it? Curator: Uninviting, you say? That's fascinating. I see it as a carefully constructed piece of propaganda, of sorts. Consider the historical context; royalty often used medals and prints like these to project power and legacy. Picart is essentially crafting an image, carefully considered, for public consumption. Does that change how you see its "invitingness," or lack thereof? Editor: A bit, yeah. I didn't initially connect it to propaganda. So, the somewhat cold precision comes from needing to convey that authority? It's like he's trying to control the narrative with these really sharp lines and formal presentation. Curator: Exactly. The Baroque loved to celebrate power but also, as we see in other art from the era, it enjoyed intricacy for its own sake. The detailed armor, the laurel wreath… they all build an image of strength and victory. Even the lettering feels precise, almost mathematical. Do you think that detracts from the human element? Editor: Absolutely. I was so focused on the technique that I missed some context. Now that you mention the armor and the lettering, I am able to understand the piece a little bit better. So, I guess I learned that sometimes "uninviting" means "in control." Curator: A wonderfully astute observation. I came into this seeing just another portrait. Your initial reaction reminded me that art also hits us viscerally.