Portret van Richard Wagner 1855 - 1902

Curator: Editor: We’re looking at Rogelio de Egusquiza’s portrait of Richard Wagner, dating from around 1855 to 1902. It's currently housed in the Rijksmuseum. What I notice first is the stark contrast in the shading; it's incredibly detailed. How do you interpret this work? Curator: I see a careful mediation between the subject and the means of representation. Etching and aquatint as processes invite certain considerations, and influence how we see the sitter. The velvety darkness achievable through aquatint emphasizes the gravity associated with Wagner's persona and perhaps, his ambitions. Editor: So, the very method used impacts our understanding? Curator: Precisely. The choice of intaglio, demanding meticulous labor, echoes the monumental scale of Wagner's operas and the labor involved. Also consider how reproductive prints democratized art. Could this be about branding and artistic reputation? Editor: That's fascinating; I hadn't thought of it that way. Is it suggesting that the artistic value resides not just in the image but in the effort and the distribution involved? Curator: Exactly! It prompts us to think about Wagner’s image as a commodity, manufactured and distributed through printmaking. The material makes the man, almost. Consider, how many people encountered Wagner *through* this and other prints, as opposed to seeing him live or engaging directly with the operas? Editor: It puts a new spin on Wagner's fame. Thinking about it as manufactured, reproducible… that is different. I hadn’t thought about art as work like that before, thanks!