Martin van den Bogaert, called Desjardins c. 17th century

Editor: Here we have Gérard Edelinck's portrait of Martin van den Bogaert. It's quite striking. What do you see in this piece, especially considering it’s a portrait of a sculptor? Curator: Well, it's fascinating how Edelinck uses printmaking to construct Bogaert's public image. The lion head, the classical drapery, it all positions him within a lineage of celebrated artists favored by the French monarchy. It's about legitimizing his status. Editor: So, it’s less about Bogaert as an individual and more about his role within the cultural institutions of his time? Curator: Exactly. It's about how artists and their patrons cultivated legacies through strategic visual representation. Consider who commissioned this print and its intended audience. What statement are they trying to make? Editor: That's a perspective I hadn't considered. Thanks, it really sheds light on the politics embedded in this artwork.