Giovanni Boccaccio c. 17th century

Curator: Here we have Cornelis van Dalen the Younger’s portrait of Giovanni Boccaccio. Editor: There’s a quiet intensity in his gaze, isn’t there? A sense of deep thought, maybe even melancholy. Curator: Certainly. This portrait speaks to Boccaccio’s legacy as a humanist and author. These images cemented the importance of the individual in society. Editor: Absolutely. Consider the book in his hand, a symbol of knowledge but also of privilege. Who had access to these texts, and whose stories were being told? Curator: It's a dialogue between the individual and the social. Dalen's meticulous engraving emphasizes Boccaccio’s individual features, while the composition suggests a figure of societal importance. Editor: Yes, a representation of power intertwined with intellectualism, making us consider how those structures uphold certain narratives. Curator: Indeed, it makes you wonder about the stories left untold in his time. Editor: It also prompts me to think about the very act of remembering through representation.