Portret van Lodewijk VI, koning van Frankrijk 1642 - 1678

Editor: This is "Portret van Lodewijk VI, koning van Frankrijk" (Portrait of Louis VI, King of France), an engraving by Nicolas de Larmessin, created sometime between 1642 and 1678. It feels so... formal, doesn't it? So steeped in tradition. What do you see in this portrait that I might be missing? Curator: Tradition, yes, but also a real yearning for something beyond it. Look at the almost fussy detail in his armour versus the softness in his face. Do you see how the engraver has used these fine lines to create a real sense of depth, making Louis appear to be peering out at us across the centuries? It is this contrast which is so beautiful. The past, heavy and ever-present, with a yearning for connection, maybe even escape. What do *you* feel when you consider that juxtaposition? Editor: I think it’s easy to only focus on the formal, historical aspects, and to forget the human element. That contrast you pointed out makes him more than just a king in a history book. Curator: Exactly. The engraver is trying to tell us something about power and humanity – a theme that resonates even today, doesn’t it? Editor: Definitely. I guess I’ll never look at a historical portrait the same way again. It’s all about finding the person within the representation. Curator: And that's where the magic of art truly lies: not in what we know, but in what we discover for ourselves.