Portret van de schilder Jan Wildens Possibly 1630 - 1646

Editor: We’re looking at “Portrait of the Painter Jan Wildens,” an engraving made sometime between 1630 and 1646, and now residing in the Rijksmuseum. It's by Paulus Pontius. There's something quite dignified about this portrait; I'm struck by the textures achieved purely through line. What catches your eye in this engraving? Curator: Immediately, I am drawn to the interplay of light and shadow meticulously rendered through the engraver's art. Consider the density of line work in the background, serving to push the figure forward, toward our eye. Editor: So it's the composition, that foreground-background relationship, which establishes the emphasis. Curator: Precisely. And examine the collar. Its elaborate, almost theatrical ruff is created through careful layering and controlled use of line. Its materiality is suggested entirely by the manipulation of form and tone achieved by the burin. Notice how the contrasting darker tones define the depth and shadow beneath each fold and crease in opposition to its adjacent illuminated section. Editor: That level of detail achieved in an engraving…it’s amazing! Are there any particular elements that hint at the artist's skill, or perhaps something of the man depicted himself, Jan Wildens? Curator: Observe his hand. The rendering captures a relaxed yet assured pose. The meticulous detail suggests control and intellect, fitting for a respected painter. Its structural integrity as rendered by Pontius reinforces both realism and psychological presence through compositional and qualitative execution. The textural and gradational attributes bring to the fore that which should draw one's eye—form, tone, materiality and structural design, each an imperative which successfully work in concert with each other. Editor: It’s like a map of textures. I see the areas that define volume. I'll look at engravings differently from now on. Thank you. Curator: A rewarding thing to find in an engraving; that which goes beyond the image. It shows not only skilled work, but it's successful structural integrity as well. A wonderful testament.