Biskop Bartholomæus Deichman 1757

Curator: This portrait, crafted in 1757 by Jonas Haas, captures the likeness of Biskop Bartholomæus Deichman. It's currently held at the Statens Museum for Kunst. Editor: Immediately, I'm struck by the almost otherworldly pallor of his face against that darkly engraved fabric. It’s a study in contrasts, visually dramatic. Curator: Absolutely. The baroque style is evident not only in the dramatic light but also in the intricate details of the engraving, like the lettering wrapping around the oval and the heraldic crest. Consider how printmaking itself functioned in society: distributing and amplifying status through multiplied images. Editor: A democratizing force of portraiture, you might say? Look closely; you see the hand of the artisan laboriously scratching away to create these tones, a world apart from painting, where it can be easier to create these details with sweeping gestures. What’s that incredible, ruff-like collar made of? Is that linen? And so painstakingly pleated... Curator: Indeed, it highlights the man, but also reflects an entire industry built upon raw materials and the labor that shapes it. The subject's gaze, though, seems very direct, very sure of itself, very representative of history. Editor: Yet, there's something unsettling in that confidence, knowing how quickly such certainty can crumble. But in this rendering, everything speaks to stability and rank, captured via skilled artistry, yet still dependent on raw goods, manufacture, and distribution, Curator: It's the fascinating paradox of art—a fusion of technique and representation. Editor: Reflecting on our perspectives here...it is intriguing how our own filters are applied, how this portrait can invite contemplation. Curator: It's been lovely revisiting this intriguing baroque work through a modern lens, appreciating both the technique and the cultural material around its making.