Portret van Ulrich Sebastian Fürer von Haimendorf 1754

Editor: Here we have Georg Martin Preissler's "Portret van Ulrich Sebastian Fürer von Haimendorf," an engraving from 1754, held at the Rijksmuseum. It's a stately portrait; the subject’s gaze is very direct. What draws your eye, and how do you interpret this work? Curator: My attention is immediately drawn to the elaborate collar. Notice how it isolates the head, almost presenting it as an object of scrutiny? That ruff is like a halo, drawing us into the sitter's gaze, inviting judgment while simultaneously declaring his status. And just below we have his coat-of-arms, linking us to genealogy and generational lineage. Editor: That’s fascinating, like he's presenting himself both as an individual and a member of his family and class. Does the frame surrounding the image carry any specific cultural context for the viewer at the time? Curator: Indeed. The frame is part of the symbolic language. The architectural frame and Latin text act like a proscenium, presenting this man as a figure on a historical stage. Notice how it imitates stone—immutable, everlasting? It’s designed to project authority. Editor: It really does give a sense of permanence. Curator: Consider how the print medium contributes. Engravings like this democratized portraiture. This image could circulate, carrying the sitter's persona far beyond his physical presence, embedding his image within a wider cultural memory. How do you think this affects our viewing of the work? Editor: I think understanding that the print wasn't just about vanity, but about projecting an image, makes me see it differently. It's not just a likeness; it's a statement. Curator: Precisely! The layering of symbols and the act of dissemination contribute to a richer understanding of both the sitter and the society he inhabited. The cultural memory lives on!