Portret van Jan (I) Snellinck 1710 - 1783

Editor: This is a print, an engraving titled "Portret van Jan (I) Snellinck," dating from 1710 to 1783, by Michel François Dandré-Bardon. It’s a very detailed portrait. What strikes me is how it manages to feel both formal and kind of…vulnerable. What do you see in it? Curator: Vulnerable is an interesting word, isn't it? There's a softness to the etching, a certain fleeting quality despite the rigid formality of the era. Look at the hatching marks that give volume to the clothing, creating such supple depth. It’s baroque, so there's a lot of emotional intensity suggested by the angle and gaze of the subject; and then consider the cloud scene and the rockwork as a background that makes one ponder how that might be an extension of Jan (I) Snellinck’s personality and character! What does this man see out on that windy scene? Is there a melancholy in those distant horizons? Does this make him vulnerable, you think? Editor: It does! The detail, but also his hand posed across his chest. Is that a sign of honour, maybe, or is he protecting himself? Curator: Both, perhaps! Or neither! A fascinating ambivalence. Maybe he’s warding off a chill from those stormy climes of the exterior window we mentioned. It also hints at an interiority – a suggestion of thought and depth, beyond simply representing his likeness. An old engraving like this really gives you so much more than simple illustration. The artist's goal for Jan is nothing less than posterity. Editor: I love that – "beyond simply representing his likeness". It really elevates how I see the whole piece. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure! Art is never just "art," it is life.