Portret van Julien Offray de La Mettrie 1722 - 1775

Editor: Here we have a print, an engraving by Georg Friedrich Schmidt, called "Portret van Julien Offray de La Mettrie." It seems very much of its time – they call it "old-timey," even! The subject looks to be in the midst of writing. What story do you think this portrait is trying to tell? Curator: It's crucial to see this within the context of the Enlightenment. La Mettrie was a physician and philosopher, quite a radical one. He advocated for materialism, arguing that the mind was not separate from the body. This print, produced after his death, can be viewed as either celebrating or critiquing those ideas. Notice the inscription beneath the portrait; it hints at La Mettrie being a victim of "fets," errors or follies. Who do you think that portrayal served, and what tensions was the artist negotiating? Editor: So, you're saying that it's not necessarily a straightforward, flattering depiction, but it reflects societal tensions around La Mettrie’s controversial ideas? I see it now. Curator: Exactly. Schmidt is not just presenting a likeness; he's placing La Mettrie within a complex web of philosophical and political debates. Consider, too, the rise of print culture at the time; these images circulated ideas, shaping public perception. This was a very different media landscape from our contemporary image saturated world. Editor: That’s fascinating! It makes you wonder about the agency of the subject himself and what control, if any, La Mettrie had over his own image and legacy. Curator: Precisely! We need to continually ask, “Who benefits? Who is silenced?” This portrait reminds us that even representations of individuals are deeply embedded in broader power dynamics and ideological struggles. Editor: I'll definitely look at portraits differently now! Curator: And that is the point, isn't it?