Wolf Dietrich Von Raitenau 

Editor: So, this print is a portrait of Wolf Dietrich Von Raitenau by Maarten de Vos. It appears to be an engraving, maybe with ink. I find the density of detail a little overwhelming, it's so ornate. What strikes you when you look at it? Curator: Overwhelming, yes, it's as if the artist tried to contain the immensity of power and spirituality within a single frame! What catches my eye first is how De Vos balances the severe formality of a state portrait with a touch of…what should we call it, theatricality? Do you see it? Editor: I think so? The angels perhaps, and all the little architectural flourishes feel a bit much. Curator: Precisely! Those angels seem straight out of a Renaissance play. And then you have the contrasting stillness of Raitenau himself, gazing out at us with an almost unsettling directness. It’s as if he’s daring us to question the pomp surrounding him. Don’t you find his expression quite enigmatic? Editor: Definitely! There’s a confidence there, but something else, too. Almost a hint of weariness? Curator: Ah, weariness. That's it! Being a prince-archbishop in those days couldn’t have been a walk in the park. Perhaps de Vos, through all that intricate linework, was hinting at the man beneath the mitre. Editor: It’s amazing how much you can read into it once you start looking beyond the surface. All those symbols must mean something, too, right? Curator: Symbols layered upon symbols. That "IHS" cartouche is Christogram surrounded by what appears to be a laurel wreath. A celebration of a divine authority? And consider the placement – hovering above the portrait like a…a divine seal of approval? What does the architectural space evoke in you? Editor: Maybe…stability? Permanence? But, I was so focused on the surface detail; it completely changed my perspective hearing you describe it. Thanks! Curator: And thank you! Now, if you’ll excuse me, I feel a sudden urge to watch a very over-the-top historical drama. For research, of course!