H. Willibrord 1650

Curator: Welcome. Today, we are observing the print "H. Willibrord" created around 1650 by Cornelis Visscher, housed here at the Rijksmuseum. It is a striking engraving. Editor: My first impression is of a figure bathed in ethereal light, a saint perhaps? The overall mood is serene and composed. It’s an imposing portrait, even on paper. Curator: Precisely. Visscher's choice of engraving emphasizes precision and detail. Considering this was made in the 17th century, what strikes me is the labour invested in carving these fine lines into the plate. Imagine the number of impressions made, the wear on the copper, the repeated act of production for consumption. Editor: The visual vocabulary speaks volumes. The mitre, the crozier, the halo—classic symbols of sainthood and authority. Note the miniature church he holds. I imagine it symbolizes Willibrord's mission to establish Christianity and build places of worship. Curator: I see the vestments more as a display of wealth and ecclesiastical power, of hierarchical systems and their material expression. Each carefully rendered fold of fabric, the embroidery depicting other holy figures… Editor: Agreed. And each saint, rendered in miniature, represents another layer of cultural memory embedded within the image. Their inclusion reinforces Willibrord's legacy and links him to a longer, divinely sanctioned lineage. He's not merely a man but an icon. Curator: Still, looking closer, these icons would require workshops and skills. I am intrigued to explore who was involved, and the process of imbuing such sacred weight into common material goods. We are looking, effectively, at the commodification of religious imagery. Editor: Perhaps. But it's the enduring resonance of those images that grabs me. Willibrord’s gaze, the deliberate arrangement of symbols—it invites the viewer into a realm of faith and established cultural understanding that remains fascinating centuries later. Curator: Interesting. Seeing your fascination, I realize my eye had mostly caught the visual textures of lines created on a crafted and printed image—in contrast to the power such icon is thought to retain even now. Editor: Indeed. Thank you, this makes me now also reflect on Willibrord from the other's point of view: from producer to a consumable element, as the engraver wished him to be!