Portret van Jacob Cornelis van Marken 1891

Editor: This is Jan Veth's 1891 graphite drawing, "Portret van Jacob Cornelis van Marken," currently residing in the Rijksmuseum. The man's completely absorbed in… something small on the table in front of him. What grabs me is the texture – the sheer density of marks creating shadow and form. How would you interpret this work? Curator: Well, first consider the means of its creation. Graphite, a humble material, is used here with incredible skill to mimic the appearance of an etching, a more traditional reproductive medium. The *labor* involved in creating this illusion is quite substantial. Editor: Mimicking an etching… So it's commenting on the traditional art world? Curator: Exactly! Veth is challenging the established hierarchy between drawing, traditionally a study or preparatory medium, and printmaking, which was more readily reproducible and accessible, and thus associated with a different form of cultural and economic consumption. Note also that he chose *graphite*. Not silverpoint, not chalk, but the very material of the industrial revolution. Editor: I hadn’t thought about graphite being an industrial material, but that makes total sense. Curator: It changes how we view the sitter, too, doesn’t it? Is he being ennobled, or subtly positioned within a modern, industrial context through Veth's deliberate material choice? This also questions the definition of 'portrait' and 'likeness'; What are the societal uses of portraiture when they become associated with a means of distribution that mirrors industrialized product development? Editor: So much to think about regarding such a seemingly straightforward image! I never would have picked up on all that. Curator: Considering the material choices certainly changes the work, doesn’t it?