Portret van de uitgever Christoffel Plantijn, op 74-jarige leeftijd 1588

Editor: So here we have "Portrait of the Publisher Christoffel Plantijn at the Age of 74," made in 1588 by Wierix. It’s an engraving, currently housed in the Rijksmuseum. It's incredibly detailed for such a small print. What strikes me is the texture captured with such fine lines, especially in the fur collar. What's your take on this portrait? Curator: This engraving offers insight into the production and dissemination of knowledge during the late 16th century. Think about Plantijn as a publisher—the labour and materials he oversaw shaped intellectual discourse. How does the print medium itself contribute to his legacy, consider the social implications? Editor: That’s interesting. I hadn’t thought about the print itself being so important. So it's not just about Plantijn as an individual, but about how his work as a publisher, and the materiality of print, changed society? Curator: Exactly. The text at the bottom "Labore et Constantia"—"By Labour and Constancy"—underscores the connection between labor, industry, and enduring fame. Think of the materials: the ink, the paper, the metal plate. What social relationships were necessary for such a portrait to come into being and to what extent was Plantijn in control? Editor: I suppose someone had to make the paper, mine the metal, and Wierix to make the cut? He was part of a massive production of reproducible text? Curator: Precisely. Consider how this mass production of knowledge shifted power. Before print, knowledge was controlled by the elite. The engraving democratizes his image but also the knowledge he disseminated. Does this give us insight into understanding labour as power? Editor: It does. I was initially focused on the artistry, but understanding the material processes and social context really deepens my appreciation. Now the image means more. Curator: Indeed. It's not just about artistic skill, but about understanding art as part of the broader material and social world.