Portret van Joost van Vondel 1783 - 1795

Editor: Here we have "Portret van Joost van Vondel" by Reinier Vinkeles, an engraving dating back to sometime between 1783 and 1795. It strikes me as quite formal, with that strong neoclassical influence...What stands out to you about this piece? Curator: For me, it's the materiality of the print itself. Think about the labour involved in producing this image. Each line, carefully etched, meticulously reproduced. It speaks volumes about the consumption of imagery during that time, the mechanics of creating and disseminating these portraits. Editor: So you’re seeing the engraving as a manufactured object more than as a...representation? Curator: Precisely. The subject matter, Joost van Vondel, the prominent poet – he’s almost secondary. What’s primary is the act of creating and distributing this image to a wider audience. Consider the engraver's role within the art ecosystem, the division of labour, the marketplace for prints. How does the 'originality' of a painting compare with this reproduction made for consumption? Editor: That makes a lot of sense. I was focused on the neoclassical style, but the way it was made and how it was circulated changes things. So how does understanding it through production impact our viewing? Curator: It reveals art not as the isolated genius of the artist, but a web of material conditions, labour, and consumption. We appreciate the means, instead of purely aesthetic ends. What could this tell us about the relationship between craftsmanship and artistic reputation at that time? Editor: I hadn’t considered it that way before. I’m now wondering about the kind of audience who would consume engravings and what kind of cultural and economic access they would need to buy it! Thanks for the fresh view! Curator: Absolutely! Looking at the mechanics provides us new dimensions of this work.