Portretten van Joseph Heintz de Oude, Nicolaas Kornelisz van Delff en Cornelis IJsbrandsz Cuffeus 1764

Editor: This print from 1764 by Jan l'Admiral showcases three portraits titled "Portretten van Joseph Heintz de Oude, Nicolaas Kornelisz van Delff en Cornelis IJsbrandsz Cuffeus." The etching has such intricate detail; the way they are positioned gives it a surreal and intriguing mood. What stands out to you when you look at this piece? Curator: You know, the arrangement really gets the mind swirling, doesn't it? It's like peering into the history of portraiture itself. Note how l’Admiral layers these three gentlemen. Are they alive? Are they deceased? We’re peeking through time. It’s baroque meets playful trompe-l'oeil. I feel that it’s meant to both honor these men and offer a wink to the artifice of image-making. Almost feels like a scene from a theatre. Editor: I like that perspective a lot; it brings to mind not just history but a performance of history. Like the curtain is just being raised! The different styles for each portrait feel very deliberate. Curator: Exactly! Do you think the checkered floor grounds it? Does it lend stability or underscore the trick of it all? Look at the contrast between the textures: delicate ruffs, stern faces, drapery and paper, like so many competing acts within the same play. What do you suppose is l'Admiral trying to communicate about representation through the piece? Editor: That’s such a good point about representation! It definitely speaks to how each portrait carries its own context, almost like little stage sets. And now that you point it out, it’s really cool to see how all of this artifice serves the ultimate aim: remembrance. Curator: Indeed! By engaging our intellect and imagination, l’Admiral creates a piece that truly honors its subjects beyond simple likeness.