Caricature of a Man, Said to Be Pietro da Cortona 

Pier Francesco Mola sketched this caricature of a man, possibly Pietro da Cortona, using pen and brown ink, sometime in the 17th century. The most striking motif is the hunched posture, emphasized by the two staffs he uses for support. Consider how the image of a figure leaning on a staff echoes through time, from depictions of ancient philosophers to biblical patriarchs. In antiquity, the staff symbolized authority and wisdom, but here, in Mola's sketch, it conveys frailty and perhaps even the burden of age. There's a powerful psychological element at play too. The posture evokes a sense of weariness, a universal human experience. This image, though a caricature, taps into our collective awareness of mortality, inviting us to reflect on the passage of time and the burdens it brings. The stooped back and obscured face become a poignant symbol of life's journey. It reminds us of the cyclical nature of life and the enduring power of human expression to capture these profound moments.