Portrait of a sultan's wife, profile towards the right 1581

Editor: This is Melchior Lorck's "Portrait of a sultan's wife, profile towards the right," a woodcut from 1581, currently held at the SMK in Copenhagen. It's striking how detailed the linework is for such a small print. It feels almost…intimate, despite portraying someone of obviously high status. What draws your eye when you look at this piece? Curator: The lines themselves, wouldn’t you agree, have a story to tell? See how they build texture, how the cross-hatching hints at shadows dancing across her face, those ornate jewels shimmering even in monochrome? This wasn't just observation, you know. Lorck spent years as a Habsburg envoy in Constantinople. Imagine the stories, the clandestine sketches hidden away. Do you think he's conveying just the physical likeness? Or perhaps…a feeling? Editor: That's interesting. I hadn't considered the emotional element. I was so focused on the accuracy of the details, like her headdress and jewelry, assuming it was purely representational. Curator: Precisely! It's tempting to get lost in the exoticism – the ‘Orient’ as seen through a 16th-century European lens, isn't it? But the real magic lies beneath the surface. How did Lorck see her? Did he respect her? Perhaps even fear her? That subtle tension makes this more than just a portrait, wouldn’t you say? Editor: I completely agree! Seeing it as a portrayal of a real, complex person and the complicated relationship the artist must have had to the sitter unlocks so many possibilities. Curator: It all dances in those lines, my dear. Sometimes the best stories are told in whispers. What a treasure, yes? Editor: It certainly is. Thanks for sharing your perspective!