Portret van M. de Malon c. 1767 - 1777

Editor: Here we have Louis Bosse’s "Portret van M. de Malon," an engraving dating from around 1767 to 1777. It’s quite a detailed print, and the figure appears very dignified. What strikes you most about this portrait? Curator: I'm immediately drawn to the engraving itself as a material object and process. Think about the labour involved in creating this intricate design by hand, carving lines into a metal plate. This wasn't just about portraying an individual; it was about demonstrating skill and participating in a specific mode of production. Editor: So you see the value in the physical act of creation, instead of, let's say, the figure represented? Curator: Exactly! How does the choice of engraving as a medium affect the social context? Engravings allowed for wider distribution of images, and a relatively cost effective approach for widespread representation and, indeed, propaganda. Who had access to engravings? How did this differ from oil paintings reserved for the elite? Editor: So it’s more about who *could* have this portrait, than who *is* in the portrait? I see your point about accessibility; printmaking democratizes the image, doesn’t it? Curator: Precisely! Also consider the materiality of ink and paper itself. Paper became a conveyor of so much political material - its ubiquity can almost make it invisible to the eye of art history! The availability of the artwork due to these new processes affected everything. Editor: That is interesting. I've always looked at art with an aim of considering it symbolically. I will certainly think more about materials going forward, and the implications for artistic consumption.