Michelangelo Buonarroti (?) 1530 - 1576

Curator: This intriguing print is attributed to Lambert Suavius, though perhaps after Michelangelo Buonarroti, and likely created between 1530 and 1576. It is a small engraving, currently residing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Editor: Immediately striking is the portrait's solemn air; there's such weariness etched into those deeply-lined features, all meticulously captured in a circular format. Curator: Precisely. As an engraving, the image relies entirely on the skill of the engraver to translate form into line. Look closely at how Suavius varies the thickness and density of the lines to create a sense of volume and shadow. The labor involved is remarkable. Editor: And those symbols! The inscription around the portrait— "MICHAELANGELVS BONAROTVS NOBILIS FLORENTINVS"—immediately announces the subject's identity and Florentine origin, emphasizing his nobility through lettering style as much as title. The circle itself, an emblem of perfection and eternity… What do you think it’s meant to evoke here? Curator: Perhaps a reference to classical portrait medals, or simply as a way of containing and framing the powerful image of a renowned artist. Remember, printmaking democratized access to images. Prints like these were often collected and exchanged, contributing to Michelangelo's enduring fame. Editor: That's fascinating! It suggests this image served to circulate his legend as much as portray his likeness. It humanizes while immortalizing. His serious face is surrounded by text referencing his "anno aetatis," which translated indicates that at the time this print was produced, Michelangelo was in his 87th year of life. Curator: A great master mediated through the labor of a skilled printmaker— the artistic lineage is palpable. One hand inspires, another makes tangible the immortalization of image into repeatable media. It becomes about the culture of its making as much as who it depicts. Editor: I'm left contemplating the interplay between mortality and enduring fame and all through line and symbolic construction! It's fascinating to see how an artist like Suavius transforms and continues to translate Michelangelo’s essence, perpetuating his persona across time and space. Curator: Indeed, and seeing these connections in material processes adds another layer of insight.