Fotoreproductie van een geschilderd zelfportret als apostel Paulus c. 1865 - 1900

Editor: This is a photographic reproduction of a painted self-portrait by Laurens Lodewijk Kleijn, titled "Fotoreproductie van een geschilderd zelfportret als apostel Paulus," dating roughly from 1865 to 1900. It's an albumen print, which gives it a soft, almost dreamlike quality. What I find striking is the choice of depicting himself as the Apostle Paul. What do you see in this piece? Curator: The deliberate act of self-portraiture, compounded with the symbolic weight of Paul, invites a multi-layered interpretation. Kleijn is not just capturing his likeness but also aligning himself with a powerful figure, one associated with conversion, authority, and the spreading of the Gospel. Consider the specific visual cues: the long beard, the pensive gaze, and the drapery all evoke established iconography of Paul. It speaks volumes about Kleijn's self-perception, wouldn't you agree? Editor: Absolutely. So, he's not just painting himself; he's making a statement about his own role, perhaps as a kind of messenger or interpreter of ideas? The way he uses photography to capture the painting adds another layer too. It's like a copy of a copy, almost like the spread of the gospel. Curator: Precisely! The choice of photography as the reproductive medium is itself significant. Photography, at that time, was still a relatively new technology, often seen as a 'truthful' recorder of reality. So, in a way, the photographic reproduction lends another layer of 'truth' to this self-fashioned identity. Think of the implications – he’s crafting his legacy through the lens, literally and figuratively. Are there are aspects of this construction that feel disingenuous to you at all? Editor: I hadn't thought about it that way. It all feels like deliberate image construction. Perhaps a very careful artist building an artistic legacy, almost like building his brand for the time, in the only means he knows how. This has given me an interesting viewpoint! Curator: It certainly provides insight into how individuals have used images and symbols to fashion and perpetuate their self-image through time. The personal fused with the historical is a potent combination to behold!