Portret van Filips III van Croÿ, hertog van Aarschot, prins van Chimay 1783 - 1795

Curator: So, here we have Reinier Vinkeles' engraving, created between 1783 and 1795, titled "Portret van Filips III van Croÿ, hertog van Aarschot, prins van Chimay." quite a mouthful, isn't it? It’s currently housed at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: My initial impression? A really intense, contained energy. Very precise lines, a study in stoicism—or maybe that's just what all those fancy collars did to people's necks. Curator: Well, that precision is the hallmark of Vinkeles' engraving style. Notice how the baroque details are rendered with incredible clarity. Each line contributes to a sense of depth and texture. It’s not just about likeness; it's about conveying status. The detail around his neck is very ornate. Editor: It does feel staged somehow, rigidly constructed. The three framed medallions beneath the portrait add this layer of heraldic weight, each element meticulously rendered to broadcast lineage. So this engraving is communicating on multiple levels. Curator: Exactly. Vinkeles expertly uses line and shadow to capture not just Philip III’s appearance but the weight of his position. But think, too, about the time period! It comes right up against the French revolution. This would have been a moment in which aristocratic authority was about to come undone. Editor: Is the purpose of the composition is trying to communicate some sort of unshakeable power? How ironic. Did this engraving have something to do with the fact that, this prince had become sort of irrelivent? Almost as if trying to make up for a power gap by literally stamping importance over a face that could easily have been erased otherwise. The three frames, it almost looks like the frames that are used in family photos. They have become like an emblem of social value. Curator: It's a dance between art and authority, certainly. I agree. Editor: I suppose for me, though, engravings always bring me back to thinking about circulation and power. If you made enough of something in the 18th century, could you shape an individual's place in public consciousness forever? How far does fame reach? What is lasting or merely ephemeral? Curator: You’re right, that’s the fascinating duality—a delicate, almost fleeting medium preserving images of seemingly unshakable power. A powerful moment to see this work in front of you.