Pietro Bembo c. 16th century

Curator: I'm struck by the density of line in this print, "Pietro Bembo" by Giulio Bonasone. The sheer labor involved in creating this portrait is remarkable. Editor: It feels like a study in contrasts. The aged face of Bembo, a Cardinal, is juxtaposed against the youthful cherubic figure below. It's an interesting comment on mortality, isn't it? Curator: Absolutely. And consider the medium, printmaking, which allowed for wider dissemination of images, essentially democratizing portraiture. This was about making Bembo's image accessible. Editor: Yes, and thinking about the materiality of the print – the paper, the ink, the press – these were tools of production shaping not just the image, but also its social impact. The distribution of prints like these allowed the reproduction of power. Curator: Precisely. The image then becomes symbolic of power, faith, and knowledge, reproduced and circulated throughout society. Editor: Seeing this work today, I'm reminded of the hands that made it and the vast networks of exchange it was a part of.