Portret van Julius August Remer 1803

Editor: This is a print titled "Portret van Julius August Remer" by Johann Daniel Laurenz, created in 1803. It’s an engraving, and my first thought is just how…stern the subject looks! What do you make of it? Curator: Stern indeed! It strikes me as very… proper. Can’t you just smell the powdered wigs and serious intellectual discourse? There's such precision in the lines, isn't there? A very Neoclassical dedication to order and clarity. I bet he wouldn’t approve of the way my studio looks now! How do you read his pose? Does it communicate anything to you? Editor: I guess it's the epitome of respectability. But what's interesting is, even though it's a print, there’s a sort of realism that makes you feel like you’re actually looking at the guy. Was this sort of portraiture common then? Curator: Very! Prints like this circulated widely. They were the social media of the 19th century – ways to share images of important people and ideas. Laurenz captured Remer with a clear nod towards academic precision and Enlightenment ideals. Makes me wonder though, did Remer *actually* look this serious? Editor: Haha, probably not! It’s interesting to think of this as social media of its time, creating an image and broadcasting it. Curator: Precisely! And next time you find yourself pulling a Remer - remember this engraving! Editor: I will! I see this print with completely new eyes. Thanks for your insight. Curator: My pleasure entirely! I think it’s wonderful that a seemingly austere portrait print still has so much to tell us.