Portret van Koert Adelaer 1725 - 1808

Curator: Here at the Rijksmuseum, we’re standing before Johann Georg Wille's engraving, “Portret van Koert Adelaer," created sometime between 1725 and 1808. Editor: It’s striking how stiff the sitter appears, despite the flowing wig and ornate frame. The contrast between the man and the decorations seems intentional. Curator: Absolutely. These engravings were all about propagating specific images of power and nobility. Look at the rich detailing of his sash, complete with multiple crosses—each a marker of status and possibly affiliation with particular orders or ideals. Consider, too, how that meticulously rendered coat of arms serves a very deliberate purpose: anchoring Adelaer in a visual lineage of power. Editor: The materials involved are key. The artist invested intense labor in creating this matrix. He cut the image in either a metal or wood plate and printed it with ink on paper. Think of the skill required! How each of those tiny, precise lines builds up this overwhelming impression of status. Curator: Engravings also allowed for wider dissemination of the portrait. They took an image of a man like Koert Adelaer—a historical painter and a well-established figure—and spread his image far beyond those who could have commissioned or viewed a painted portrait. So in some way, each print solidified not just the sitter’s individual memory, but the system that enabled his status. Editor: And the print-making process turns the person depicted into a commodity, available for mass consumption, transforming notions of value and portraiture at the time. Each copy carries its weight of historical process, almost a residue of labour! Curator: Exactly. The symbolic weight, from his clothing to the backdrop hinting at his landholdings, works together to convey particular ideas. And, yes, the repetitive printing makes that message all the more durable. Editor: Well, I definitely see Adelaer's enduring status and Wille's intense commitment now.