Portret van Bartolus de Saxoferrato c. 1597 - 1669

Curator: What a find! Here at the Rijksmuseum, we have "Portret van Bartolus de Saxoferrato", a baroque engraving by Theodor de Bry dating back to sometime between 1597 and 1669. Editor: Wow, it looks like a woodcut, all those intricate lines. He has this look, kind of like he's already figured out the answer to a question nobody's even asked yet. Is he wearing a bathrobe? Curator: More like academic robes. Bartolus was a highly influential Italian jurist, and this print is rife with symbolism. See the bees and butterflies in the ornate border? Editor: Oh, I missed those. But tell me, what are *they* doing here? Because I’m getting less ‘law’ and more 'abundance and fleeting beauty' from them! Curator: The insects may reference diligence and metamorphosis, fitting tributes to a legal scholar. Remember, baroque art loved to pack layers of meaning. Editor: That makes sense; even the lettering that wraps around his head feels so meticulously crafted, like each stroke has a purpose. Though, I still get a slightly sleepy vibe from his expression, as though law school was boring even back then. Curator: It does suggest deep thought, doesn't it? It reflects the weight of centuries of legal tradition he carried, interpreted, and reshaped. His legacy still ripples through modern law. The engraving shows that permanence. Editor: A visual statement on his lasting effect! And there’s something lovely in seeing how someone saw and wanted to remember him, so many years later. Curator: Indeed. It connects us to intellectual history. Editor: Exactly. It shows how we choose to memorialize even our eggheads. It's been such an insightful discussion, that robe really distracted me at the beginning but this historical approach opened another door!