Portret van Johann Sturm op 70-jarige leeftijd 1577 - 1584

Editor: This is "Portret van Johann Sturm op 70-jarige leeftijd," an engraving done sometime between 1577 and 1584. The detail is really striking, particularly the rendering of his fur collar and beard. It gives him a wise but almost intimidating presence. I’m curious, what catches your eye when you look at this piece? Curator: Well, besides his magnificent beard, I'm drawn to the book he's holding. Notice how it's positioned, almost presented to us? It makes me wonder about Sturm's profession, his passions. Perhaps he was a scholar, or a theologian? The intensity in his gaze suggests someone deeply engaged with ideas. Does the inscription give any clue, I wonder? Editor: The inscription says: "Joannis Sturmi - Natus Anno M.D.VII. Cal. Octobris - Sculptus Anno LXX." It appears to mark his birth in 1507 and the year of the engraving, seventy years later! Curator: Ah! It is an object commemorating a notable figure in their elder years. Look closer, the way the light plays on his face creates a map of experience, decades etched in lines. There's something melancholic and enduring here, don’t you think? It almost feels like a quiet conversation across time. It seems like such an exercise can often resemble writing a short personal and introspective letter. Editor: I see what you mean! Now that you mention it, it's like a snapshot of a life dedicated to…something. I wish we knew what it was. Curator: It’s the beautiful mystery of history, isn’t it? Each line in this engraving is a whisper, a suggestion, inviting us to imagine the untold story. We might even try sketching this ourselves for practice. Editor: That makes me appreciate the engraving so much more! Thanks for showing me how to read the little details, and think of art like this.