Head of a Boy Holding a Book c. 18th century

Curator: This is Benigno Bossi’s "Head of a Boy Holding a Book." There's something about the way the light catches the boy's face... it feels like he’s caught between worlds, lost in thought. Editor: Absolutely. The gaze carries such a weight, especially when we consider the context. The book he holds is an object of privilege, symbolic of class and the exclusivity of knowledge during Bossi’s time. Curator: It's more than that, isn't it? The etching has such a raw, almost sketch-like quality, which I think brings a sense of immediacy. Like a fleeting moment captured. Editor: Yes, but immediacy for whom? Who is given the opportunity to be captured and remembered? Whose stories are written and whose are erased? This becomes even more pronounced by Bossi’s presence as a court artist. Curator: It's true, the position is something to consider. Still, there is a tenderness in the way the lines define his features. I can't help but find it poignant. Editor: And it is that tension, between access and denial, between intimacy and performance, that makes the work so compelling. Curator: It certainly does give one a lot to think about. Editor: Indeed, food for thought.