Portret van Cornelius de Vene Possibly 1670

Editor: So, we're looking at "Portret van Cornelius de Vene," an engraving, possibly from 1670. I find myself intrigued by the intensity in the subject’s eyes and that slightly quizzical expression. What catches your attention when you first look at this, our Cornelius? Curator: Oh, my dear friend, where to begin with our esteemed Cornelius! The thing that grabs me first isn't so much in the eyes, but rather, it's the *stillness*, almost a studied composure he presents. And, indeed, it’s mirrored by the engraving medium. You get the feeling he wants to convey a very specific *air*. A successful one, no? Now, did you happen to glance at the paraphernalia flanking him in this rendering? The crest on the drapery… the slightly bulbous device he’s fondling? Does that hint to anything of this individual's profession or standing? Editor: It does! I'm guessing the object in his hand has some relationship to alchemy since the Latin text at the bottom calls him "chymicae studiosum." So it isn't just a pretty portrait; there's symbolism and maybe a hint of the sitter's inner life woven in, yes? Curator: Precisely! It's a testament to how even within the seemingly rigid conventions of Baroque portraiture, we can glimpse the intellectual landscape of the time. Alchemy was a very popular pseudo-scientific belief at that time. Does it leave you wanting to know the *real* Cornelius de Vene a little bit? I certainly find my own spirit conjuring up myriads of versions of the actual man… who was he beyond this carefully cultivated presentation? Editor: It definitely makes you wonder! Thinking about how artists then carefully included objects and inscriptions that signaled certain social statuses makes me look at contemporary portraiture and how we choose to display ourselves through, say, carefully-curated Instagram profiles in an entirely new light. Curator: My dear, a marvelous connection! So, perhaps, centuries later, the impulse remains: to present not just ourselves, but an idealized vision of who we aspire to be. Fascinating, isn’t it?