Portret van Jan Snellinck 1859

Herman Löwenstam made this etching of Jan Snellinck on October 14, 1859. The print revives the image of a historical figure from the 16th and 17th centuries, aligning with the 19th-century historicist sensibilities. Löwenstam's choice of etching, an older printmaking technique, reinforces this connection to the past. But why Snellinck? Jan Snellinck was a painter in Antwerp during a tumultuous period of religious and political conflict, and his artistic role intersected with the rising social status of artists. The etching would be a social and political symbol in the Netherlands, with a distinct cultural and artistic identity. To fully understand its meaning, we might consult archival sources, exhibition records, and biographies of both Snellinck and Löwenstam to trace how historical and cultural values are attributed to art and artists over time.