Portret van Charles-Joseph de Pollinchove 1765

Curator: Have you had a chance to view Carlo Domenico Melini’s engraving, "Portret van Charles-Joseph de Pollinchove," made around 1765? It’s quite something. Editor: Yes, my first thought was that it embodies the essence of dignified repose. There's a quiet confidence radiating from the subject, but a kind of formal severity too. What strikes you most about the work? Curator: Oh, it's got this incredible weight to it, hasn't it? The formal attire, the theatrical background… It really says “power,” doesn't it? The man looks pretty darn self-important. Makes me wonder what he’s like behind closed doors. Do you think the semiotics of this baroque artwork say much about its history? Editor: Undoubtedly. The strategic composition draws your eye immediately to his face, the focal point, really. Notice how Melini uses light and shadow—chiaroscuro if you will—to enhance the three-dimensionality, crafting both physical presence and highlighting a man of perceived power. Curator: Yeah, it is all very calculated, isn’t it? Even the flourish of the signature seems strategically placed to show the importance of… Melini himself? Ha! Also what’s up with that ridiculous wig? I bet it took hours to make. I can’t imagine having all that hair stuck to your head all day. Bet it itched! It is like wearing a small poodle. Editor: Indeed. The baroque love for extravagance is well documented here: but what is of particular note to me is the very medium used. As an engraving, each line and dot requires immense precision, mirroring, perhaps, the meticulous order De Pollinchove was expected to maintain within the legal system he oversaw. Curator: Makes me think of bureaucratic perfection versus the messiness of human experience… Editor: Precisely, art becomes a silent witness to power dynamics of that historical era, reflecting not just the man, but the machinery around him, rendered perfectly visible. Thank you for bringing that to light. Curator: Well, what a portrait indeed! Gives me something to consider beyond face value, anyway. Thank you.