Christophe d'Assonleville, raadsheer van Filips II 1579

Editor: Here we have a metal relief from 1579, titled "Christophe d'Assonleville, raadsheer van Filips II," crafted by Jacques Jonghelinck. It seems like a rather serious portrait, doesn't it? With an allegorical scene on the other side…almost dreamlike. What's your take on this piece? Curator: Oh, it whispers stories of power and perception. The stoic portrait juxtaposed with the flowing allegory…it’s like peering into the psyche of a man caught between duty and the fantastical. Notice how cold and solid the metal looks next to those playful, dancing figures… do you see a duality here, a tension between the tangible and the imagined? Editor: Absolutely, the contrast is striking! One side is very grounded in reality while the other is light and free, and you can also note some details in both circles. It is incredible, how an artist could play with the small figures in there. So, it this intentional? Curator: Oh, intentionality is the artist's secret sauce! The sculptor plays with symbolism like a mischievous imp. The portrait shouts authority, and that allegory probably speaks to virtues he aspired to. Imagine Jonghelinck whispering to us from across centuries... "judge him not by his title, but by his dreams.” Maybe even poking fun at Philip the Seconds, I guess… what are those ladies at the top trying to see up there, after all? Editor: So the sculpture invites us to contemplate not just the man but also the ideals and aspirations of the time? Curator: Precisely. And perhaps, how those ideals contrasted with the iron grip of reality. Art’s trick, don’t you think? Reflecting the world back to us, twisted just enough to make us look closer. Editor: I love the idea of it being twisted, challenging the way we see things. Thanks, this was a whole new way to appreciate Jonghelinck's sculpture. Curator: The pleasure was all mine! May we all find a little "twist" in the ordinary, no?