Hoofd van een oude man, en profil naar rechts 1513 - 1540

Editor: This is "Head of an Old Man, in Profile to the Right" by Parmigianino, dating from between 1513 and 1540. It’s a pencil drawing on paper, currently held at the Rijksmuseum. It's striking how aged and seemingly weathered the subject looks, even in this simple sketch. What do you see in this piece beyond just an old man's face? Curator: Beyond the surface, I see a commentary on power, aging, and the male gaze itself. The meticulous rendering, typical of Mannerism, draws our eye to every wrinkle, suggesting a life lived perhaps in service of patriarchal structures. But consider this: Whose gaze are we invited to adopt here? And what does it mean to dissect this man’s aging features? Editor: So you're saying there's a potential for critique embedded within what might seem like a straightforward portrait study? Curator: Exactly! Think about the period this was created. Power was inextricably linked to masculinity, and aging often amplified authority, at least for men. By meticulously capturing the marks of time, is Parmigianino celebrating or interrogating this established order? Perhaps both? The gaze, inherently gendered and historically male-dominated, makes us complicit. How does that make you feel? Editor: That definitely shifts my perspective. I was initially drawn to the skill of the rendering, but I hadn't considered the potential social implications of depicting aging in such detail within that context. It is as if it could feed or challenge power structures, depending on how it’s viewed. Curator: And the questions don't stop there. Considering contemporary theory, what does it mean to dissect the face of an old man? Is it objectification under the guise of art? I see this piece as a constant source of new reflections. Editor: I never would have considered all of those layers! This makes me think differently about approaching historical portraits. Curator: Precisely! Art becomes truly powerful when we start asking difficult questions about what we see, and more importantly, why we see it that way.