Tien ornamentkoppen 1644 - 1718

Curator: What a parade of grotesque beauty! This drawing is called “Tien ornamentkoppen,” or “Ten Ornamental Heads,” made between 1644 and 1718, created in ink on paper. It's attributed to Giuseppe Maria Mitelli and is part of the Rijksmuseum collection. Editor: It feels like peering into a fever dream – all these bizarre faces staring back! They’re captivating, disturbing, almost like gargoyles liberated from a cathedral. The sheer range of expressions, too. What strikes me is the density of shading, the way Mitelli uses simple ink lines to create so much character. Curator: Mitelli had such an eye for caricature, pushing the boundaries of what's considered beautiful or acceptable. In a way, these heads serve as visual shortcuts, drawing on archetypes to convey character quickly. It’s as if each face holds a different psychological state. The one at the bottom left—all rage and fury—is unforgettable. Editor: Yes, like characters yanked straight from a morality play or some bacchanalian revelry. Note how many have obscured vision. Is this meant to evoke a 'blind leading the blind' kind of narrative? Perhaps even to reflect folly in leadership or civic society? Or do you find that I'm taking too far? Curator: No, not at all! I love that the theme of obscured sight runs so prominently. Some of these faces almost feel theatrical, masked figures performing some obscure drama for our amusement...or our warning. I suppose in their own way, these ornamental heads do work in the moralist vein. They almost echo a type of medieval grotesques! Editor: These aren’t just decorative—they feel potent, brimming with story. And so sharply rendered. One could imagine elements from this page appearing in a baroque fresco as figures hidden amid history painting. How remarkable that even small, dark strokes like this on aging paper possess such energy. Curator: The test of time, yes. What seemed fleeting becomes lasting and insightful. It makes me reflect on the ephemeral nature of our faces. After all, these ornamental heads also ask: what will the passing years sculpt in our own faces? And what stories will *they* tell?