Portret van Johanna Sophie Teutscher 1723 - 1749

Editor: This is “Portret van Johanna Sophie Teutscher,” an engraving by Johann Friedrich Rosbach, dating from 1723 to 1749. It feels quite formal, and the level of detail achieved on paper is amazing. What strikes you about this portrait? Curator: Considering it’s an engraving, the social context and the labor behind this image become paramount. Think about the skilled artisan, meticulously transferring an image onto a copper plate, the press worker creating impressions one by one. This wasn’t simply about depicting Johanna Sophie, but about establishing and communicating social standing through conspicuous consumption and elaborate production. What does the backdrop imply to you, considering it is a crafted vista within a carefully fabricated portrait? Editor: The garden scene in the background almost feels like another layer of artificiality—as if everything is staged. Curator: Exactly. We see the materiality of wealth represented not just in her clothing, but also in the manufactured landscapes and the sheer expense of commissioning and producing such a print. Who would own this? How would it be used? Think about this as propaganda of persona using the readily-distributed material form of print. Editor: So, the value isn't just in the image itself, but in the labor and materials involved in creating and distributing it? It feels less about the individual and more about the broader display of status? Curator: Precisely. It challenges the notion of art as solely aesthetic experience, directing us towards understanding the economic and social forces shaping its creation and consumption. Editor: I never really thought about engraving in terms of its material and social implications before! That gives me a totally different perspective. Thanks! Curator: It’s all about seeing art as embedded in a web of material practices. Glad I could shed some light.