Paul de Vos 1630 - 1633

Editor: We’re looking at a print of “Paul de Vos,” made between 1630 and 1633 by Anthony van Dyck. It's a rather striking portrait, mostly etching on paper. The details around his face are so intricate, yet there’s a kind of unfinished quality to the rest of the print, fading into nothingness. What captures your imagination when you look at this work? Curator: You know, it’s interesting you pick up on that contrast. I see a dance between precision and suggestion. Van Dyck wasn't just recording a likeness, he was conjuring a presence. He captures Paul de Vos so vividly from the eyes up, giving us these incredible swirling brushstrokes of the sitter's personality. I get the impression of someone lively and intelligent, don’t you? But is it a sketch? Or a definitive portrait? That lack of resolution keeps drawing me in. Editor: I agree, the eyes especially. There's a depth to them that contrasts with the… the void below. It's almost theatrical. But why do you think he chose to leave the rest unfinished? Curator: Oh, that’s the million-dollar question, isn't it? Perhaps it was a time constraint. Or maybe – and this is where it gets juicy – maybe it was a deliberate artistic choice. Baroque portraiture was all about status and capturing the essence of a person. Is the artist focusing on the man's mind above the man's garments? Leaving the rest to the imagination could actually be a clever way of focusing on Paul de Vos's identity! Editor: Wow, I never thought of it that way. I just thought it looked… incomplete. Now I see a reason behind it. Curator: Precisely! And isn’t that the magic of art? A little scratch on paper makes you wonder about not just the image but the personality that may be captured!