Portret van Jean Logne 1670 - 1724

Editor: This is Jacob Gole's "Portrait of Jean Logne", probably made somewhere between 1670 and 1724, a drawing that’s been etched or engraved onto metal. It's such a somber piece, very shadowy, depicting what seems to be a tradesman hard at work. What do you see in this work? Curator: Somber indeed, like a Rembrandt etching. I see a glimpse into a life lived close to the bone. The very act of rendering someone with such everyday focus grants them a sort of immortality, don't you think? Consider what Gole chose to show and *not* to show – the wrinkles, the calloused hands… it speaks of a real man. A counterpoint to the era's focus on landed gentry and idealized portraits. Makes you wonder about Jean Logne’s story. Editor: It does. I noticed the other figure behind him, barely visible. Is there a suggestion of daily life and work that the artist tried to represent? Curator: Absolutely! It grounds Logne in his world. This second figure suggests the everyday and familiar rhythm of their workshop – think of the great Dutch Masters’ focus on the interior lives of ordinary people. Why *not* ennoble labour, eh? I'd bet Jean Logne would have chuckled wryly at our pondering him like this centuries later. He might even have asked if it could pay the bills! What will you take away from this portrait? Editor: Well, I think next time I see an ordinary object or encounter an ordinary person, I will try and remember that every life can be seen as art if we just pause to see the extraordinary within it. Thanks. Curator: You're quite welcome. Cheers to a new way of viewing things.