Huwelijk van Frans Stephen, hertog van Lotharingen en Maria Theresia, aartshertogin van Oostenrijk 1736

Curator: Standing before us are two bronze relief medallions dating back to 1736, creations of Matthäus Donner currently held in the Rijksmuseum. These commemorate, as the inscription tells us, the marriage of Francis Stephen, Duke of Lorraine, to Maria Theresa, Archduchess of Austria. Editor: My first thought is just how serene they appear, especially Maria Theresa. And those delicate lines, despite being bronze, create such a gentle profile. What catches your eye about the piece, artistically? Curator: For me, it’s the formality, even within the intimate scale. You get this profound sense of duty and dynastic expectation from such small objects, as if these aren't just portraits, but blueprints for empires, literally set in bronze to endure through the ages. I love that juxtaposition. It feels… monumental. Editor: Indeed! Bronze as the choice of material speaks volumes, almost literally. It offers this patina, aging like legacy itself. Then observe the detail. The inscriptions encircle each portrait, almost enshrining their names. It's less a portrait, and more an emblem of power. Curator: Exactly, they're less capturing a likeness and more symbolizing union—love almost doesn't come into it, right? One portrait facing the other, poised for eternity; a political choreography as delicate as a ballet. It brings a tear to my eye. Editor: Maybe so, but observe, too, the textures achieved! The smoothness of the skin contrasted with the intricacy of the hair... This interplay directs our gaze and infuses each profile with a liveliness. Technically, it's a baroque masterpiece on a miniature scale. What an economical deployment of skill to immortalize legacy! Curator: You’ve absolutely nailed it, technically they're amazing, each medallion singing of Donner’s skill! Yet I keep feeling like they are so emblematic and a tad remote. Two halves making a greater whole… a bittersweet thought to end on.