Johannes Jacobus Vitriarius c. 1731

Editor: So, here we have a portrait, "Johannes Jacobus Vitriarius" by Jacobus Houbraken, currently housed in the Harvard Art Museums. The gentleman in the portrait seems quite self-assured, almost theatrical. What do you make of this piece? Curator: Oh, he certainly commands attention, doesn't he? It's more than just self-assurance; it's a carefully constructed image of authority. Think about the wig, the robe, the very formal setting. Houbraken, I suspect, wanted to portray Vitriarius as a pillar of the Enlightenment, someone who embodied reason and learning. Do you get that sense of intellectual weight? Editor: I do, now that you mention it. The Latin inscription below also speaks to his importance. Curator: Exactly! It all contributes to the message. Sometimes, I think these portraits are less about the person and more about the role they played, the ideas they represented. Editor: I never thought of it that way, but it makes perfect sense. Thanks!