Portret van Willem I van Württemberg als kroonprins c. 1800 - 1816

Editor: So this is "Portret van Willem I van Würtemberg als kroonprins," circa 1800-1816, by Friedrich Wilhelm Bollinger. It's an engraving, a print. What strikes me is how... official it feels. Quite formal and staged, even for a portrait. What do you see in this piece, from your perspective? Curator: The material reality of this print allows us to think about mass production and dissemination of power. This image, reproduced and distributed, performs a certain kind of labour itself. Consider the paper: where did it come from? What was the labour like of those who made it? The artist, Bollinger, likely didn't pull every impression. What was the division of labor here? Editor: That's fascinating! I hadn't thought about the print itself as being...laborious, I guess. So, are you saying that by focusing on the materials and the process of creating and distributing the print, we gain a new understanding of Willem's power? Curator: Precisely! Power wasn’t just inherent; it was constructed through material means. Engravings like these helped standardize and circulate an image, solidifying a concept of leadership through a carefully constructed visual vocabulary, impacting the mode and matter of its consumption. How do we interpret its current location at the Rijksmuseum, its consumption within this framework? Editor: I see! So the choice of engraving, the labor involved, and the dissemination are all integral to the artwork's meaning, maybe even more than just the portrait itself. That's given me a lot to consider about other artworks too. Thanks! Curator: Indeed, viewing art through the lens of its production reveals so much about its function within a society. I learned something new, too.