Antieke buste van keizer Septimius Severus 1681

Curator: Before us, we have an engraving dating back to 1681. It's entitled "Antieke buste van keizer Septimius Severus" and was created by Etienne Baudet. Editor: Wow, that's Septimius Severus all right. He looks...determined. And the way he’s been rendered has such a timeless feel to it. He could easily be a contemporary sculpture if it weren't for the 17th-century rendering! Curator: Engravings, especially of Roman subjects, experienced a huge surge of popularity throughout Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries. Septimius Severus, as Emperor, stood as a symbol of authority and Roman power. This particular piece reflects an effort to reconstruct the image of leadership for contemporary viewers. Editor: He appears so solemn, almost burdened. But also very... approachable, somehow? Is it just me, or does this engraving manage to capture both his power and humanity? All of this cross-hatching that creates such beautiful shades and shadows give the portrait almost soft, gentle appeal, despite him being an Emperor. Curator: Precisely. The engraver plays with the classical idea of the noble leader, but Baudet introduces a more intimate quality. The detail in his face seems aimed to present him as not just a ruler, but a man facing very tangible realities and anxieties. It's an interesting twist. We see the wrinkles around the eyes, a softening of the features suggesting reflection… perhaps even weariness. Editor: I'm stuck on this: It's like he's inviting a kind of empathy. Or is the engraving attempting to create a lineage, some shared characteristic for leaders across time, Roman Emperors to modern rulers? Curator: Both might be true! By the 17th century, the imagery of classical rulers were tools for conveying certain ideals. Lineage, absolutely; but also resilience, order, wisdom – qualities admired and aspired to. But the "empathy" factor… well, perhaps that points towards a slight shift, a modern inclination to perceive leaders as beings wrestling with complexities. Editor: It gives you so much to think about – that even powerful leaders aren’t devoid of human emotion. Beautiful, poignant rendering. I’d like to linger here for a while.