Portret van een koning van Ethiopië 1684 - 1743

Editor: This print, made sometime between 1684 and 1743 by Jan Lamsvelt, depicts the "Portrait of a King of Ethiopia," as it's known today. It strikes me as very formal, almost stiff. It’s so precise, an impressive engraving. What story do you think this artwork is trying to tell, if any? Curator: Oh, stories whisper from every etched line! The “stiffness,” as you call it, is fascinating, isn't it? It's a window into how Europeans perceived and portrayed royalty from other cultures in the 17th and 18th centuries. Look at the detail in the king’s headdress, and how it towers above. What does that evoke for you? Does it suggest authenticity or… something else? Editor: It feels...almost theatrical. The headdress, the way he's posed – it doesn't seem to convey a real, individual person. More like a symbol of a king. Curator: Exactly! It's likely less about capturing a true likeness and more about presenting a concept of "exotic royalty" to a European audience. It also hints at a world increasingly connected, but through a lens of power and representation that bears scrutiny. Consider, where do these images circulate? Whose perspectives do they reflect, and more importantly, whose do they overshadow? Editor: So, it’s less about accurate portrayal and more about cultural projection? I guess I never thought about prints as having such complex layers of meaning. Curator: Isn't it fantastic? Art often serves as a mirror, reflecting not just the subject but also the viewer and the society that creates and consumes it. This piece is far more complicated than I initially considered.