Portret van Cornelis Bontekoe c. 1647 - 1696

Curator: This is "Portret van Cornelis Bontekoe" a print by Adriaen Haelwegh dating from approximately 1647 to 1696. What are your first impressions? Editor: Wow, the detail is incredible for a print. That wig is almost a character in itself. He seems… intensely self-aware, maybe a little smug? Curator: The portrait situates Cornelis Bontekoe, a physician and professor, within the baroque emphasis on status and intellect. Consider how prints like this functioned within systems of power. The text below his image further establishes his importance. Editor: Oh, definitely. It's like his qualifications are literally underpinning him. That inscription reminds me of some old timey advertisement. I am also stuck by how different engravings where back then in comparison to the modern engraving and printing world. Curator: Exactly. Also note how the books in the background reinforce his scholarly identity, an expected but significant detail for portraits of the era. It is as much about profession as it is about person. How does this relate to issues of social identity at the time? Editor: You're right about the books! They aren't really individual works—just a backdrop, signifiers of knowledge. Thinking about that, the lace, the robe… everything in this image seems calculated, each object selected to tell a very specific story about who he is. Maybe an idealized version? Curator: Precisely! How does his posture and the look in his eyes contribute to this ideal? Editor: He seems pretty calm in a 'I know what I am doing' type of vibe, like he's subtly holding court, which kind of says that this image is basically early modern branding, ha! The artist wanted to give off "master of all situations". Also his eyes are pretty calm. Overall there are so many levels that reveal more information and create many potential conclusions for the artwork Curator: That's a great way to put it. A master of presentation, perhaps? Editor: Yes, master of his narrative. So it’s funny to think about what parts of his story he's leaving out. Curator: And how Haelwegh is complicit in this performance of identity. A great deal to ponder.