Gevelsteen en zegel 1830 - 1863

Curator: This is "Gevelsteen en zegel" by Hendrik Altmann, likely created between 1830 and 1863. It's an engraving, so a print, and showcases Altmann's use of line. Editor: Immediately, I’m drawn to the texture. There’s a formality suggested by the engraved lines but also a certain coldness; the monochromatic tones create an air of distance. Curator: Indeed. I see the figures of clergymen or perhaps civic leaders, seemingly in conversation or perhaps a ritualistic exchange. The lower portion shows the city seal, speaking to the power dynamics inherent within Dutch civic life. I think it’s also impossible to ignore the inscriptions... likely prayers? Editor: Absolutely. And consider the craft involved in reproducing images like this. It makes me think about how the engraving, this reproduction, facilitates a controlled spread of ideas. Who held power over the production, who profited from this consumption of the image and its message? And let's consider Altmann's role: artisan, documentarian, perhaps even a subtle propagandist. Curator: Precisely! Who did it serve? Were these men allies, and who did they answer to? How does their portrayal within this aesthetic further solidify or complicate the relationships between gender, status, and representation of this specific Dutch society? Editor: It's all meticulously crafted: the sharp lines of their robes, the textures creating light and shadow. But more than aesthetic value, I think about the time and labour. Curator: Altmann is clearly steeped in both traditional iconography and printing methods. This artwork can be seen as a material artifact of those structures. And from an intersectional point, we can observe the relationships between masculine representations and the city's values. Editor: We have a record of values communicated through skill, materiality and repetition. Curator: Considering it as an historical marker offers valuable insights. Editor: The matrix imprints a certain worldview; even now we grapple with their continuing aftereffects.