Twenty-Two Figures Conversing By a Portico With a Niche and Portrait Medallions 1670

Editor: Here we have "Twenty-Two Figures Conversing By a Portico With a Niche and Portrait Medallions" by Melchior Küsel. It’s a small print, but it feels like a stage set. I’m curious about what’s happening here. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Ah, yes! It is a stage, isn't it? I like that! Think of it as a glimpse into a lost world. The figures are conversing, yes, but their turbans and elaborate clothing hint at a very specific time and place. I wonder, is it real or imagined? Editor: I didn't even notice their clothes! It gives it a sense of fantasy. Curator: Right? Maybe Küsel is inviting us to dream along with him, to invent their stories. Don't you think it's lovely? Editor: I see it completely differently now. Thanks!