Buste van Jacques Necker op een stapel boeken c. 1781

Editor: This is an engraving titled "Buste van Jacques Necker op een stapel boeken," or "Bust of Jacques Necker on a stack of books" made around 1781. It's currently held at the Rijksmuseum, though the artist is listed as Anonymous. It looks to be a caricature and has this bizarre image of Necker sort of… triumphing over a defeated figure? What do you see in this piece? Curator: Ah, yes, quite striking! Notice how Necker’s bust, rendered in cool, classical lines, seems to literally and figuratively rise above the turmoil beneath. Consider the stack of books acting as his plinth: they're not just any books; they likely represent his famed financial reports, suggesting a foundation built on intellect and accountability. But the fallen figure… what do you suppose he represents? Editor: It looks like some sort of monstrous character. Is that Envy, or maybe Ignorance, being crushed by Necker’s...success? Curator: Precisely! Observe the snake wrapped around the figure – a classic symbol of deceit. And the scattering of documents around him signifies perhaps, the failed attempts to discredit Necker's reforms. This print is dripping with symbolic language meant to elevate Necker as a savior. Do you think that it seems celebratory, though? Editor: I suppose so. But if it needed to be stated so forcefully, maybe some people at the time didn’t agree? Curator: Indeed! These types of prints became vital tools of political communication during times of social shifts, capable of swaying opinions and immortalizing reputations, or tarnishing them. It's fascinating how images can solidify narratives for future generations. Editor: It really makes you think about how the symbols we use now will be interpreted later on! Curator: Exactly. It becomes a visual echo through time.